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BBC Pidgin of Friday, 25 August 2023

Source: BBC

‘Na opportunity to remarry after my husband die’ - all you need know about mass wedding wey Kano goment budget N854 million for

Zainab say she go use di opportunity re-marry after six years without husband Zainab say she go use di opportunity re-marry after six years without husband

Before di end of dis year Kano state goment for northwest Nigeria go hold big ceremony wia dem go marry off 1020 couples from 44 local goments areas of di state.

On Wednesday, Kano state govnor Abba Kabir Yusuf announce say e don set aside N854 million for di event wey many pipo across Nigeria dey tok about at di moment.

Na for 2011 di state goment begin dey sponsor mass wedding pay dowry and provide free room furniture to couples wey no fit afford am.

Zainab Dukawuya, 43, na one of di pipo wey dey plan to participate for dis year exercise.

She say dis na opportunity for her to remarry as she go like get anoda companion six years after her husband die.

“I dey get pipo wey wan marry me but all of dem dey complain of high cost of living and say dem no fit afford am.”

“So dis na di best chance as na goment go provide everything we need to marry, my prayer be say make di whole process dey free and fair to give equal chance to everybody.”

Zainab say at di moment she get two serious boyfriends but if none of dem dey ready she go ask Hisbah to provide her with suitor when she fill her form.

Abdullahi Dinga, 38, na one of di potential suitors for dis year event and e tell BBC News Pidgin say e don tey wey e wan marriage but e no fit afford am.

“I begin dey gather money for marriage but dis high cost of living make me spend di whole money on food and oda tins.”

“Marriage dey on my mind for long and dis mass wedding na opportunity to make my wish come true.”

“Immediately dem start I dey go collect form already I get girlfriend but na lack of money no allow us marry.”

Shey na goment go select wife for pesin?

Recently for chat with tori pipo head of di agency in charge of di mass wedding Sheik Aminu Daurawa say di whole idea na to marry those wey want marriage but no fit afford am.

Dis latest one go be di sixth mass wedding event to happun as former Kano govnor, Abdullahi Ganduje suspend di event for di last four years.

Mallam Gwani na top staff for Kano Hisbah office wey dey organise di mass weddings and e tell BBC News Pidgin say di di first step na to visit dia office to collect form.

“At di moment we neva begin dey give out di forms but when time reach di first thing na for pesin wey wan join di mass wedding to come collect form and fill then return.”

“Na either di pesin don already get partner wey e want or e wan make Hisbah join am with anoda single pesin.”

“So for some cases if Hisbah give pesin partner after dem meet di pesin fit say e no like dat one and we go look oda options for di pesin so dat not to do marriage without di two pipo liking each oda.”

Mallam Gwani say as things stand dem neva even form stand di 23 man committee wey go put together all di plans for di mass wedding.

E also tok say anoda committee go begin dia work after di marriages as na dem go dey do follow ups to make sure di couples dey happy.

Various tests go happun before di marriage

In di early years of di programme e get some marriages wey get Kasala after di programme on to say one of di partners get one health issue or di oda.

Dis na why Hisbah Commander Sheik Daurawa say dem no dey joke with health tests now to avoid any wahala wey fit follow as a result of not checking.

E tok say every intending couple must pass through four different types of tests and dem must be screened before they can be considered.

“Dis time around couples must pass through four different tests which include: HIV test, pregnancy test, genotype and drugs test. We no go consider anybody wey no pass distests.” Di commander yarn.

Sheik Daurawa add say 20 couples go dey selected from each of di 44 LGAs of distate and di remaining 120 couples na di board go select dem.

Hajiya Hadiza Ado na oga for Women and Child Initiative one non governmental organisation for Kano and she tok say dem dey fully support di goment plan.

“Di reason why we dey support dis plan na sake say e get pipo wey wan marry but no fit afford am and dis go helep dem achieve dia aim.”

“Some unwanted pregnancies dey happun because dem no fit get marriage and dem decide to do am illegally so dis go reduce all dat.”

She also advice goment to put NGOs in charge of follow ups after di marriages happun to make sure say di couples dey keep to dia commitment.