By Abdullahi Yusuf
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State on Friday officiated the mass wedding of 1,500 widows and young women under the State Government’s Mass Wedding Programme coordinated by the Kano State Hisbah Board.
While officiating the programme which was held at the Central Juma’at Mosque of the Emir’s Palace in Kano,Yusuf described the initiative as a bold social intervention aimed at restoring hope, strengthening families and promoting moral values across the state.
He said the programme underscored his administration’s commitment to supporting vulnerable citizens by easing the financial burden associated with marriage and creating opportunities for dignified family life in line with Islamic principles and the rich cultural heritage of Kano State.
Governor Yusuf represented the first groom during the marriage solemnisation, where he formally sought the bride’s hand in marriage from her guardian, the Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, who accepted the proposal in accordance with Islamic injunctions.
The Emir had earlier delivered the Friday sermon, calling on the newly-married couples to build their homes on the enduring values of faith, patience, mutual respect and compassion, stressing that peaceful families remain the foundation of a stable and prosperous society.
Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, said the beneficiaries underwent thorough screening and counselling, while all religious and legal requirements were duly fulfilled before the marriages were conducted.
The Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zahraddeen, offered prayers for Allah’s guidance, blessings and lasting harmony in the homes of the newly-married couples.
Among the beneficiaries of the initiative was a man, Haruna Bashir,whose wife and six children were brutally murdered earlier in the year.
Bashir is now married to Nabila Kabiru Yunusa with a dowry of N200,000 paid for the marriage.
Bashir lost his wife, Fatima Abubakar, and their six children on January 17, 2026, when assailants attacked their residence at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters in Kano, killing the entire famil
Some of the beneficiaries expressed profound appreciation to Governor Yusuf for the initiative, describing it as a life-changing opportunity that would enable them to begin a new chapter in life with dignity and hope.
The mass wedding programme is part of the Kano State Government’s broader efforts to promote social welfare, strengthen family institutions and foster a more peacefuland cohesive society.