Sokoto government to conduct mass wedding of 100 couples

The Sokoto State Government says it will conduct a mass wedding for 100 couples in the next one month.

The state Commissioner of Religious Affairs, Alhaji Mani Katami, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Sokoto.

Katami said the government would spend N32m on the exercise.

He said, “We are expecting the report of the main committee set up for the purpose of planning of the mass wedding.

“The main committee is overseeing the activities of other sub-committees such those on security and medical screening.

“Afterward, we would organise a one-week training on skills acquisition for the would-be couples.”

The commissioner said that the state government would pay the bride price of all the 100 would-be brides.

In the same vein, each of the brides would be given bridal materials such as beds, mattresses, bedding and other household items.

“Each of the brides and grooms would also be given seed capital to enable them to start small scale businesses.

“Measures have also been taken to routinely monitor the marital lives of the couples to ensure the sustainability of the marriage.

“We are taking all necessary measures to conduct the planned mass wedding in accordance with the Islamic Sharia,” Katami said.

The state government had on January 24, 2014, spent N30m on the mass wedding of 125 couples.