Kano – It was an embarrassment among the Muslim Umma in Kano State last week as reports emerged that one of the brides in the state-sponsored mass-wedding, Habiba Inusa, put to bed, a baby boy, a day after the wedding.
The news of the untimely birth punctured the joy that had trailed the mass wedding. The outrage by residents was not unusual in the religious society that detests pre-marital sex.
It was seen as a scandal and left an open-ended question as to why the strict Hisbah Board, co-organisers of the wedding ceremony, failed to detect Inusa’s pregnancy. Interestingly, Inusa, and her groom, Mallam Babangida, were just one in the multitude of 1520 couples who officially were married on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, in a decentralised mass wedding across 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State.
At that occasion, the Commandant, Kano Hisbah Board, Alhaji Aminu Daurawa, claimed that the successful couples were certified fit for the exercise after they were subjected to series of tests. Sheik Daurawa disclosed that each couple was screened of HIV, evidence of economic and financial well-being of the grooms, and clearance from the Ward Head who vouched for the impeccable character of each participant.
The Sheik also declared that under the conditions that qualify grooms to participate in the mass wedding was a clause that guarantees “for better for worse”. He explained that “Hisbah board does not condone divorce under this arrangement, and would seek redress in court in the event of a violation.
“You are simply married till death do you part.
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But, the question today is how did a bride who was supposed to have passed through the screening exercise, deliver a baby 24 hours after a marriage that was meant not to tolerate pre-marital sex? Sheik Daurawa told a local radio station that he was not surprised at the incident, saying that the exercise was decentralised and left in the hands of politicians this time round.
Asked why he said the couples underwent medical screening on February 26, he said he was referring to the 50 couple slots given to the board headquarters.
“We were suddenly asked to provide a list of the couples six months after we thoroughly screened them in conjunction with qualified medical personnel of the Ministry of Health. The government decided to allow local governments to handle the exercise. So anything can happen.”
Sunday Vanguard learnt that the bride, Habiba, allegedly concealed the pregnancy to her suitor during the courtship period. However, Gangare residents of Doguwa Local Government Area of the state and Kano Hisbah Board were stunned when Habiba Inusa went into labour a day after the wedding.
In what appeared like a sizzling romantic series, the new wife put to bed a bouncing baby boy to the utter embarrassment of the people, their culture, and faith. Consequently, Sunday Vanguard further learnt the propriety of who took the paternal responsibilities was settled moment after, because the enraged groom, Malam Babangida, reportedly ejected his new wife from his house with the innocent baby.
The action of the bride has already claimed a victim as one Malam Kamalu, who was believed to be the man behind the embarrassing romantic drama, disappeared from the village soon as it became evident that the bubble had burst.
In a reaction to the alleged misconduct, Ustaz Ahmad Kabiru declared that “appropriate punishment as specified by teachings of Islam should be applied.
“We are Muslims, and we are covered by Sharia Law and whoever compromised the rules must face punishment as a deterrent to others.” This singular act by the Doguwa groom has opened a wave of controversy on an exercise that was instituted by the Kano State Government way back in 2012.
True to Ustaz Kabir’s submission under strict Islamic law, an infringement has occurred but what happens would be seen in the days ahead.
