73-year-old bride delighted marrying ‘gentleman’ nonagenarian
The agrarian Kiyi community in Kuje Area Council of the FCT last Thursday went agog as 96-year-old Abdulrahman Munse-Bwaye married Rukaiya Yamwa Piri, 73.
The solemnisation of the marriage was held in Piri community in Kwali Area Council.
The bride, who moved into her husband’s residence from the wedding venue, told Aso Chronicle that she was “delighted to marry a gentleman like Abdulrahman.”
The groom, nonagenarian Pa Munse, who is said to be the oldest man in Kiyi community, while speaking with our reporter, said many people earlier discouraged him from the “Nikkah’’ (marriage in Arabic), as they said he was too old for marriage.
He said some even queried him, asking him if his son’s wives were not taking good care of him, to which he answered “they are taking good care of me but my own wife will certainly take care of me better.’
Pa Munse’s first wife, Hajiya Zainab Gwadabe, died in 2008.
“Though, I married a widow, Salamatu, after my wife’s death, her children took her away some years ago leaving me without a wife, hence, I asked Rukayah to marry me and Allah made her to accept my proposal and I am very happy,’’ he told our reporter.
When our reporter visited the elderly lovers, the wife was seen preparing “tuwon dawa’’, a guinea corn delicacy, for her husband.
Pa Munse’s son, Musa, told our reporter that all the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were happy with their father’s marriage.
“I personally encouraged him when he told me of his plan for marriage. In fact, I visited the relatives of his bride in different villages, including Dukpa in Gwagwalada Area Council, Chibiri in Kuje Area Council and Piri village where her father lives,” he said.
“The visit was to get their consent in accordance with Islamic injunction and we were happy that they all gave their consent and the Nikkah was held in Mama Rukaya’s father’s compound in Piri,” Musa added.
He disclosed that he represented his father at the wedding solemnisation in Piri because of the distance between Kiyi and Piri.
A neighbour of Pa Munse, Malam Khamilu Awwal, who also spoke with our reporter, said they were all happy “to see Baba happily married once again.
“Baba is a very good father to all of us and deserves the happiness that God is giving him through this marriage.”
“May God give Baba long life to enjoy his marriage,” Awwal prayed.