An official source at the Kano State Hisbah Board has reacted to a recent interview in which the board’s Commander-General Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa offered 50 slots for Kano journalists in the next phase of the state’s iconic mass wedding.
Daily News 24 reported that last week, Sheikh Daurawa had invited 50 journalists to participate in the mass wedding program in order to consolidate the relationship between the board and the media.
He announced this in an interview with Freedom Radio, a private station.
The Hisbah chief added that apart from media practitioners, the board was also considering legal practitioners and health workers in the state to take part in the program.
“We have given 50 slots to journalists and other members of the media who are interested in participating in the mass wedding programme,” he had said.
However, in an exclusive interview with Daily News 24, a senior official at the board said the board had not made any plan for the next phase of the mass wedding before Mr Daurawa’s interview.
The official, who only agreed to speak on the condition of confidentiality, explained that the Hisbah management does not have powers to decide the individuals or groups that would participate in the scheme until the state governor approves it.
Also read: Kano Hisbah boss Daurawa offers 50 slots to journalists in next batch of mass wedding
“So, what I’m saying is that only the governor (Abba Kabir Yusuf) can approve the so-called 50 slots offered to you the journalists by our commander,” he said.
“But I understand that the Commander has genuine interest in seeing that those who deserve to participate are given the opportunity. But only the governor can give an final approval,”.
Recall that in December last year, the Kano state government, under Governor Yusuf, had spent a sum of N854 million to marry-off a total of 1,800 couples.
As part of the benefits of the scheme, the government had paid more than N50,000 dowry to each of the grooms in addition to buying furniture, beds and bedding as well as gift of trousseaus for each bride.
The brides also received a capital of at least N20,000 each to engage in business that would complement their husband’s efforts.
A training was also organized by the Hisbah board for the couples in order to equip them with the Islamic knowledge on marital issues.
An analysis by Daily News 24 reveals that the government could spend at least N23 million to marry-off 50 journalists, with each couple taking about N474,444 excluding dowry and empowerment capital for the brides.
