It’s a dream come true, hearing-impaired man lauds Kano mass wedding

Muntari Sani-Tofa, a 30-year-old hearing-impaired man from Kano State, described his marriage as a "dream come true" as he tied the knot with Sa'adatu Musa. He was one of 1,500 couples participating in the Kano Government's 'Auren Gata' mass wedding initiative, designed to help vulnerable couples start their married lives with essential economic and household support.

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This is my first wedding ceremony. I am grateful to the governor for the intervention through the Auren Gata mass wedding programme. It is a dream come true.

Sani-Tofa, who holds diplomas in Sports and Monitoring and Evaluation, currently works with the Kano State Sports Commission. He expressed his gratitude to the state government for the opportunity, emphasizing that while the wedding was a significant milestone, sustained economic support is crucial. He highlighted the need for employment opportunities and capital to start businesses, enabling beneficiaries to become self-reliant.

The 'Auren Gata' initiative, the second mass wedding under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's administration, has seen the state commit over N1.5 billion. This funding covers medical screenings, dowries, furniture, and other forms of support. Each couple receives N100,000 for their dowry and an additional N100,000 as seed capital for business ventures.

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Some of us are unemployed despite being qualified. We also lack funds to start businesses and support our families.

The program also included medical examinations, marriage counseling, and workshops organized by the Kano State Hisbah Board. The inclusion of persons with hearing impairments, as highlighted by Yunusa Sani, Leader of the Hearing-Impaired Cluster, has been particularly significant, restoring hope to a community that often struggles with the financial demands of marriage. Governor Yusuf stated that the initiative was a fulfillment of a campaign promise made across the state's 44 local government areas.

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The inclusion had restored hope among members of the hearing-impaired community and other vulnerable groups who had struggled to meet the financial demands of marriage.