Nigerian divorcees marry in mass ceremony

Kano, Nigeria, 15 May - (ANA) - A hundred couples have been married in a mass ceremony sponsored by a local government in northern Nigeria, the first of a batch planned by religious authorities for Muslim women who have been divorced or widowed, media reports say. A total of 1,000 couples are to wed and the aim is to try to reduce a rising divorce rate in tKano state and provide the women with a stable home and financial and social security.The first batch got married at the palace of the Emir of Kano. The marriages have been arranged by the Hizba board, the main Islamic authority in the predominantly Muslim state - in a bid to reduce the number of women, especially in the city of Kano, left fending for themselves and their children, sometimes on the streets, following divorce. After a radio campaign since mid-February calling for prospective suitors, the Hizba screened the applicants, including testing for HIV, and then helped with the match-making. The brides were given the final say in choosing their husbands. Bride prices normally given to the wife's family by the husband have been paid for by a local entrepreneur - and Kano state government paid for the bride's "kayan daki", a collection of brass and enamel bowls and decorative cups and saucers, which are a symbol of her married status. (ANA)

FA/ANA/15 May 2012----------