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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

I now have three wives after adding another, says Kano mass wedding beneficiary

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A beneficiary of a Kano State mass wedding initiative expressed joy at marrying a third wife through the program.
  • The initiative, sponsored by the state government, aims to help low-income individuals afford marriage costs.
  • This year's mass wedding sponsored 1,500 couples, including those entering polygamous marriages, at a cost of N1.5 billion.

Dantani Aruba, a participant in Kano State's government-sponsored mass wedding initiative, has celebrated marrying a third wife under the program. He expressed happiness that the initiative allowed him to expand his family without the usual financial strain associated with marriage.

"I just married another wife, and I am happy that I have married another one. My wives are now three," Aruba stated in a video recorded by NewsCentralTV. He was among the 1,500 couples who tied the knot during the ceremony, which the state government funded as an intervention for individuals unable to bear the costs of marriage.

The program, coordinated by the Kano State Hisbah Board, targets individuals from low-income backgrounds, including the widowed, divorced, and unmarried. The state government allocated N1.5 billion for this year's event, covering dowry payments, empowerment support, and household items for the newlyweds. Each couple is set to receive support including dowry, furniture, and food items to help them establish their homes.

Known as Auren Gata, the mass wedding initiative was first introduced in Kano in 2012 by then-Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who married off 100 couples. The program has continued under subsequent administrations, with the number of beneficiaries growing over the years. The 2026 edition specifically included provisions for polygamous marriages, aligning with Islamic practices.

I just married another wife, and I am happy that I have married another one. My wives are now three.

— Dantani ArubaA beneficiary of the Kano State mass wedding initiative expressed his happiness about taking a third wife through the program.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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