Once divorced, women like Faiza Iza, 40 years old, meet discrimination. No landlord will rent an apartment to an unmarried woman, so she and her daughter share a spare room donated by a kind neighbor. She is considering signing up for the next mass wedding, but doubtful it will make any contribution toward eradicating terror.
“The two don’t have any connection,” she said. “That’s just a superstition started in order to discriminate against unmarried women.”
In her search, she isn’t alone. Last month, 8,000 bachelorettes in a nearby state surrounded the governor’s office, demanding that he fix them all up with husbands, according to Nigeria’s Punch newspaper. “It’s really a social phenomenon that’s going on,” said Fatima Akilu, a top official at Nigeria’s National Security Advisor’s office.
To get married, couples must first fill out some forms. The questions are typed in all caps: “ARE YOU READY TO GET MARRIED NOW?” “WOULD YOU AGREE TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE HIZBAH?” “WHAT BOOKS HAVE YOU CURRENTLY BEEN READING?”
If an applicant doesn’t have a spouse picked out, the government will track one down. To the men, “We ask, do you want a tall and elegant girl? Fine?” Mr. Usman said. To women: “Maybe someone light in skin and tall?”said Aisha Atiku, Director of Planning and Research at the Hizbah.