The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, has criticised the growing culture of extravagant wedding spending, urging Nigerians to prioritise helping the less privileged instead of spending huge sums on cosmetics and aso-ebi.
The traditional ruler spoke on Sunday at the 20th anniversary of the Crystal Muslim Organisation in Abuja, where he expressed concern over what he described as excessive spending despite the country’s economic challenges.
According to him, many families spend hundreds of thousands or even millions of naira on wedding accessories while countless Nigerians struggle to afford basic necessities.
He said he had personally chosen not to contribute money towards buying aso-ebi or cosmetics for wedding ceremonies, insisting that such resources could be better used to assist people in need.
Bamalli stressed that while there was nothing wrong with celebrating weddings, the scale of spending should reflect the country’s current economic realities.
He warned that ignoring the plight of the poor while displaying wealth could worsen social tensions and insecurity.
The emir also called for greater investment in skills acquisition by incorporating vocational training into both Western and Islamic education, saying it would equip young people with practical skills for self-employment.
He further encouraged Nigerian youths to embrace technology as a tool for economic growth and appealed to political leaders to revive scholarship schemes to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Also speaking, the National Amir of the Crystal Muslim Organisation, Alhaji Muhammad Sagir Shettima, said the anniversary marked two decades of promoting Islamic values and humanitarian service.
He noted that the organisation rewarded 12 outstanding students in its essay competition and appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support its efforts to provide more assistance to vulnerable members of society.
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