The Sokoto State Hisbah Board has issued an immediate ban on several widely practiced wedding customs, declaring them incompatible with Islamic teachings. Hisbah Commander Malam Usman Abdullahi Jatau announced the prohibitions at the board's headquarters in Sokoto on Monday, framing the move as a final warning to violators.
List of Banned Practices
Among the most notable restrictions is the pre-wedding custom known as "Na Gani In So," where a suitor presents gifts such as cartons of soft drinks, bottled water, biscuits, sweets, and kola nuts to the prospective bride's family. The board also banned DJ performances and Wazigidi music at ceremonies, mixed-gender gatherings for entertainment, and what it described as indecent hairstyles for children and youths.
Further prohibitions include mounting loudspeakers or heavy sound systems on tricycles (Keke Napep), women sitting beside tricycle riders, and excessive spending on bridal gifts, locally referred to as lefe. Jatau described these practices as innovations (bid'ah) that contradict the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Hisbah Issues Final Warning to DJs and Event Organisers
“We declare that these innovations, which are contrary to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), have negative consequences for any marriage conducted in such a manner because it departs from the teachings of the Prophet,” Jatau said, as reported by Daily Trust.
The commander directed his remarks specifically at DJs, event planners, and others who facilitate the now-banned activities. “This is our final warning to everyone, especially those engaged in these activities and those who patronise them. They should fear Allah and stop before sanctions are taken against them,” he warned. The board confirmed it would enforce the directives whenever violations are reported or observed.
Call for Simpler, Debt-Free Weddings
Jatau also appealed to families on both sides of upcoming marriages to keep bridal arrangements simple and debt-free, arguing that extravagant wedding customs often push families into financial hardship and, in some cases, drive people towards unlawful behaviour to fund ceremonies.
“We call on parents and intending couples to simplify bridal gifts, avoid unnecessary showmanship and conduct marriages according to the Sunnah so that husbands, wives and their families can be spared debt, hardship, theft and other unlawful acts committed in the course of organising weddings,” he added.
Community leaders were urged to take a more active role in moral oversight within their localities, with Jatau calling on ward-level leaders to ensure the proper upbringing of those under their authority.
