Kebbi State government on Tuesday came under a heavy backlash from Nigerians on social media for sponsoring a mass wedding for 300 divorcees, widows and indigents in the state with the sum of N21 million expended on dowries for the brides.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the wedding was organised at the Abdullahi Fodio palace in Gwandu Emirate, Birnin Kebbi on Sunday by the state government under Hajia Nafisa Nasir Idris, the governor’s wife, through her initiative, the Nafisa Nasir Development Foundation.
NAN reported that the state governor, Nasir Idris while overseeing the ceremony, encouraged the couples to foster friendship and be confidants to one another.
The governor, who was represented by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Muhammad Usman-Ankwe, also announced plans for periodic mass weddings to unite less privileged individuals as husbands and wives.
According to NAN, the administration allocated N21 million as dowry for the 300 brides from the state’s 21 local government areas, with each bride receiving a dowry of N70,000.
But many Nigerians on Tuesday lashed out at the government, describing the action as insensitive to the prevailing high poverty rate and Almajiri syndrome plaguing Northern Nigeria.
In his reaction, a Facebook user identified as Mike Ogbonna said, “It’s obvious these religious bigots from the North has nothing reasonable to offer, rather than to increase the poverty level in their region which at the end those kids littered in every road begging will turn to course harm to the peace of the state and control.. Only in North, especially states where Muslims are governors will you hear news like this. Just wondering if they have nothing reasonable to offer to their people than sponsoring marriage with government funds.”
While a user, Mathias Atim wondered whether the role of government and governance has been reduced to such, another user identified as Zuna Batteries said, “This is the reason why it’s good for Nigeria to return to regional government so that all these governors are with empty brain will quit politics.”
In his own reaction, one Usman MK said, “Misplacement of priority. That’s to tell you that northern elites are not ready to eliminate almajiris menace that breeds banditry because majority of these couples will birth and breeds almajiri in the next 2-3years that will later be used by these same politicians.”
Another user, Rhoda Adewuyi, said, “Marriage infrastructure instead of Socio-physical infrastructure. What care has been provided for the children of the first marriage. Instead of curing leprosy the government is healing for ringworm.”
Andriamycin Bello said, “These people are just increasing poverty in the North. Instead of you to create employment and/or build critical infrastructures, you are busying conducting mass wedding for unemployed downtrodden masses. Who does this in 21st century!”
Rita Rita said, “This is insane!!!! Imagine allocating 21 million naira to something unimportant like this… This is pure madness… backward country! 21 million naira that will do more important things in that state!!! How will this mass wedding benefit this country??? Nawa ooo this country still has a long way to go. And the fact that people are applauding this is more insane!!!”
