From Yakubu Mustapha Minna
The Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev . Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna has conducted a mass wedding for no fewer than 30 couples in Niger state.
The Bishop joined the couples in holy matrimony at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Agwarra local government area of Niger state.
Bishop Yohanna disclosed that until a couple is joined together in marriage legally both traditionally (through bride prize) and blessed in the church, it is wrong for them to cohabit.
According to him “the people of Agwarra rely more on traditional marriage which encourages them to cohabit with more than one wife without paying their bride prizes.
Bishop Yohanna started that marriage is meant for the prepared adults, “some people refer to their marriages as dead while still alive due to lingering issues that are not tackled on time thereby causing couples not to talk to one another even while living in the same apartment”.
Furthermore, he said marriage is a life time commitment which should be built on love and companionship.
The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Okoro while disclosing that the thirty couples completed their marriage traditional rites especially paying their bride prizes, said they were subjected to three months marriage counselling which qualified them to be joined in the church.
One of the couples, Shuaibu Bisallah and his wife expressed joy, saying, they have cohabited for several years with four children.
