Nigerian Minister's 9 Children All Wed on Same Day in Abuja

Nine children from one family will all get married on the same day in what's shaping up to be one of Nigeria's most talked-about wedding celebrations this year.

Bello Matawalle, Nigeria's Minister of State for Defence, will see five of his sons and four of his daughters tie the knot simultaneously on February 6 at Abuja's Central Mosque. The ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. and has already generated buzz across Nigerian social media after the invitation card went viral.

The children getting married are Ibrahim, Suraj, Safiya, Maryam, Aisha, Fahad, Muh'd, Nana Firdausi, and Farida. Matawalle, who served as Governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023, is married to four wives.

Yusuf Idris, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State and a member of the wedding committee, confirmed the celebration is happening. "Arrangements have reached an advanced stage to ensure a smooth ceremony," he told reporters.

The Ripple Effect

Mass weddings aren't uncommon in some Nigerian communities, where they help reduce costs and strengthen family bonds. But a single family celebrating nine marriages at once is exceptionally rare, even in a culture that values large family gatherings.

The logistics alone are impressive. Coordinating nine couples, their families, and traditional wedding customs in one ceremony requires months of planning and community cooperation. The committee working on this celebration has been busy ensuring everything flows smoothly for what will likely be hundreds of guests.

For the nine couples starting their married lives together, they'll forever share not just a wedding date, but a unique family story. Their children will grow up hearing about the day when nearly a dozen uncles, aunts, and parents all became newlyweds together.

This celebration reminds us that joy multiplies when shared, and some families know how to celebrate big.