Sokoto Mass Wedding: Group Accuses Commissioner of Sabotage

Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

The Islamic Mediation Marriage Organisation Sokoto State, monday accused the state Commissioner of Religious Affairs, Alhaji Mani Maishinko Katami, of sabotaging the efforts of the group in its efforts to conduct mass wedding for 100 couples in the state.

This is just as the Commissioner of Religious Affairs, who spoke through a member of the state Committee on Sunnah Marriage, Aliyu Ibrahim, denied the allegation, saying there was no iota of truth in the matter.

Addressing journalists at the NUJ Press Centre Sokoto monday, the state Chairman of the Islamic Mediation Marriage Organisation, Malam Aliyu Kafarini, accused the commissioner of undue interference in their activities, which had stalled the conduct of mass wedding for the couples.

He disclosed that the group identified 100 couples in dire need of marriage but without finance and submitted the list to the state government, which was approved.

Kafarini explained that Governor Aminu Tambuwal approved N32 million for the conduct of the mass wedding for 100 males and females which included purchase of furniture, mattresses, kitchen utensil among others for the couples.
He, however, lamented that since the money was approved, the Commissioner of Religious Affairs, was bent on frustrating their efforts.

“It is true that we submitted the names of 100 couples to the governor and he approved N32 million for the conduct of the mass wedding but the Ministry of Religious Affairs is bent on changing the names of the couples with new persons that did not even indicate interest in any wedding.

“In fact, the commissioner insisted that only 50 couples would participate in the first phase of the mass wedding and the beneficiaries will be selected from each district in the state.
“So, we felt that this is injustice and we cannot fold our arms and allow some government officials to sabotage our efforts,” he said.

Kafarini pointed out that the group has been in existence since 23 years ago and had so far organised 3500 weddings in the state.

He added that the group had already petitioned the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and other well meaning individuals in the state so as to intervene in the matter.