Political and business heavyweights converged on Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Saturday, for the wedding of Muhammad, son of the Yobe State Deputy Governor, and Aisha, daughter of Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum.
The ceremony drew Vice President Kashim Shettima, Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, several governors, as well as top political and business figures from within and outside Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and his Northern Governors’ Forum counterpart and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, attended the ceremony alongside 10 other serving governors.
Among them were Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Uba Sani of Kaduna, Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano, Umar Namadi of Jigawa, Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara.
Also in attendance were governors from neighbouring countries, including Niger and Cameroon, alongside several traditional rulers from within and outside Nigeria.
Governor Mai Mala Buni stood in for the groom, while Muhammed Indimi, Founder of Oriental Energy, represented the bride.
The groom presented, through his representative, 12 gold coins valued at about N9.6 million as dowry.
The wedding Fatiha took place at the Shehu of Borno’s Mosque and was officiated by Imam Idaini, Sheikh Imam Shettima Mamman Saleh, following certification of the couple’s eligibility for marriage.
The cleric solemnised the union and offered prayers for Allah’s blessings upon the couple.
In a related development, three sons of Governor Zulum – Mamman, Abba, and Umara – also got married on the same day.