By Uzair Adam
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has disclosed that his administration spent more than N1.5 billion on the 2026 mass wedding programme organised for 1,500 couples across the state.
The governor said the expenditure was aimed at fulfilling a campaign promise while providing the beneficiaries with financial, household and social support to help them establish their marriages.
Yusuf disclosed this on Saturday while speaking at the wedding ceremony for the 1,500 couples under the state’s mass wedding initiative, popularly known as Auren Gata.
He explained that the programme was designed not merely to facilitate the marriages but also to support the couples as they begin their lives together.
According to him, the mass wedding was among the promises he made to the people of Kano during his campaign across the state’s 44 local government areas ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“Alhamdulillah, to the glory of Allah, today we have continued to fulfil that promise,” he said.
The governor noted that all prospective beneficiaries underwent comprehensive screening before being admitted into the programme.
He said the process included medical examinations, marriage counselling, workshops and seminars aimed at preparing the couples for the responsibilities of married life.
Yusuf stressed that the medical screening was particularly important in safeguarding the health of the couples and their future children.
He further disclosed that each bride received N100,000 as dowry and an additional N100,000 capital grant to enable her start a small-scale business and achieve economic independence.
The beneficiaries, he added, were also provided with household furniture and essential items, including beds and mattresses, as well as foodstuffs and other materials intended to reduce the financial burden of setting up new homes.
The governor urged the couples to regard marriage as an act of worship and to build their homes in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
He advised them to demonstrate patience, fairness and mutual respect, while resolving disagreements peacefully and maintaining understanding in their homes.
“Always remember that marriage is an act of Ibada. Therefore, strive to conduct your matrimonial life in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of our noble Prophet Muhammad,” Yusuf said.
He prayed for Allah’s blessings upon the marriages and for the couples to be blessed with righteous children who would contribute positively to their families, society and humanity.
Yusuf also expressed appreciation to traditional rulers, Islamic scholars and other guests who attended the ceremony and contributed to the success of the programme.
He specifically acknowledged members of the Kano State Council of Emirs, including the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the emirs of Rano, Karaye and Gaya, for their guidance, prayers and support.
The governor equally thanked Islamic scholars and clerics who travelled from different parts of the country to participate in the programme and counsel the newly married couples.
The 2026 mass wedding programme was implemented across Kano State’s 44 local government areas and was designed to provide selected couples with financial, household and social assistance as they begin their marital lives.
