The Muslim Council in Taraba has banned all forms of wedding parties in Jalingo, the state capital.
The ban, announced on Friday, prohibits celebrations such as Kauyawa Day (villagers’ day) and Ajo parties, during which youths, including young boys and girls, often dress in tattered clothes and dance late into the night in the name of wedding celebrations.
The resolution was jointly reached by imams in Jalingo under the council, in collaboration with traditional rulers and with the support of authorities.
Imam Tajudeen Nuhu, Chief Imam of Mayo Gwoi Jummat Mosque, who conveyed the decision on behalf of the council, said the new measure takes immediate effect.
“From today, it is forbidden for any household to hold ‘Kauyawa,’ ‘Ajo,’ or any form of celebration during weddings in Jalingo,” he said.
He warned that any Muslim who flouts the order will not have an imam officiate the marriage contract (Nikah) in his house.
The sanction also extends to funerals, as imams and clerics have been barred from offering funeral prayers (Salat al-Janazah) in households of defaulters.
Similarly, Islamic scholars and clerics, male or female, will no longer be allowed to deliver lectures at weddings or naming ceremonies in such households.
The council further cautioned imams and clerics against violating the directive, warning that any cleric who participates in events hosted by violators will face disciplinary action, including removal from office.
According to the council, the measure is intended to promote sanity, fear of God, and discipline among Muslims in the community.
