Sodiq Oyeleke
A popular Muslim activist in Nigeria, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Saturday shunned the wedding reception of his daughter, Dr. Jihad Anjorin (nee Akintola).
According to the activist, shunning the the wedding reception is a way to discourage “lavish spendings”.
The activist, who doubles as the President of the Muslim Rights Concern, explained that two of his daughters earlier got married without a reception.
Despite his absence, friends and some members of the activist’s family, including his wife were present at the wedding reception, which held at Alausa, Lagos.
While the husband, Abdulganiy Anjorin, is a lawyer, the wife is a dentist.
It was learnt that the wedding reception has the approval of the activist, who had earlier joined the couple in his home on Friday.
It was learnt that the wedding ceremony which held in the activist’s home had about 24 people in attendance.
The activist confirmed rejecting appeals from friends of his son-in-law that he should just honour them with his presence at the wedding without spending to organise it.
He said, “Let me state ab initio and for the avoidance of any doubt that I love my daughter, the lucky bride. She is an obedient girl, highly disciplined. She has never been wayward and I have never had cause to reprimand her in any way. She is the ideal daughter any father will crave. My son-in-law too, Barrister Anjorin, meets all my dreams of a husband for my daughter.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the walimat an-nikah has my blessing. The nikah proper held inside my house on Friday with very limited number of guests, strictly 21, apart from the officiating Imam.
“I have about three or four reasons for not attending the walimat an-Nikah (wedding) on Saturday. First and foremost, I had wedded two daughters of mine in private fashion and this is my own style.
“Secondly, I launched a struggle against wasteful spending a long time ago. I also made it a duty to publicly articulate strong objections to profligacy both in public and private spendings. I have called on governments to impose cow tax on anyone who slaughters more than one cow for a ceremony. I have publicly condemned the aso ebi syndrome. Should the same Akintola now don the gab of owambe circle? Will it not amount to hypocrisy?
“Thirdly, I really don’t have that kind of money. I will have to apply for cooperative loan in Lagos State University, if I decide to go the way of social wedding for my darling daughter. I will have to face the consequences of heavy deductions from my poor teacher’s salary. I know how to spend any amount on the education of my sons and daughters but I can’t see any reason why I should spend lavishly on their nikah.”
He subsequently advised youths in the country to shun society wedding, adding that it scares people from getting married.
He said, “Expensive weddings scare young men, keep them single and waste the ladies’ time. Let me make it abundantly clear, however, that society wedding is not haram and it is in order for those who have more than enough money to spend on it. But I frown upon those who go out of their way to pose as if they are comfortable even though they are suffering and smiling.
“Nigerians love to live a false life. The more you look, the less you see. They take loans and continue paying the loans for two or more years after the wedding. This is what I detest. I do not hate rich people.”
