A Kano-born lawyer, identified as Ibrahim Garba, has sparked a debate on social media after disclosing that the woman he got married to is his first cousin.
According to him, he and his wife are from the same family.
The Kano lawyer in a recent interview with PUNCH said;
“She is my first cousin and we knew each other and then it just happened. It is like falling in love with someone and deciding to take it further.”
On whether his tradition allows such marriage, Barr Garba said; “I can’t really say it is a tradition applicable to all the North but it is Islamically right to marry your cousin and my culture doesn’t forbid it.”
He added; “We have many tribes and religions in the North; I can’t say it is applicable to all the northerners. Islam doesn’t forbid it, so I personally don’t have an issue with that. We have different religions in the North– Muslims, traditionalists, Hausa, Fulani, etc.”
Reacting to people’s opinions on his choice of partner, he said; “Apparently, no one brought up the issue because many that are my friends were not even aware I married my cousin, most especially when we had our wedding.
“But many people have married their cousins. When I made the post, it was the first time I realised that there are so many people in this country that see it as an abomination or taboo. So, I was surprised. Some people told me it is kind of weird to them.”
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