Defence Minister Matawalle marries off all 10 children in one day
Abuja witnessed a historic celebration on Friday, February 6, as Bello Matawalle, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, gave all ten of his children in marriage in a single day.
The ceremony, held at the National Mosque, marked the wedding fatiha for five sons and five daughters, followed by a grand reception in a nearby hall.
Historic wedding celebration in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu attended the event and personally received the brides on behalf of the Matawalle family.
The President of São Tomé and Príncipe, Carlos Vila Nova, also graced the occasion.
Other notable guests included Deputy Senate President Senator Jubril Barau, Senior Special Assistant to the President Ibrahim Masari, and governors from Sokoto, Jigawa, and Kebbi states.
Presidents and Dignitaries join the festivities
Matawalle, a former governor of Zamfara State, gave away his daughters Maryam, Safiyya, Farida, Nana Firdausi, and Aisha, while his sons Ibrahim, Abdul Jalal, Surajo, Bello, and Fahad were also married the same day.
The officiating Imam, Prof. Luqman Zakariyah, prayed for the success and happiness of the couples, as well as for the blessings of their parents and grandparents.
On social media, Matawalle thanked President Tinubu for serving as “Wali” at the ceremony.
However, the event also sparked public debate, as many Nigerians questioned why the President attended the lavish weddings while a tragic terrorist attack had claimed lives in Kwara State just hours earlier.
The unprecedented scale of the event and the presence of high-profile dignitaries have made the Matawalle family wedding one of the most talked-about social events in recent Nigerian history.
Watch the video below…
Minister of Defence(State), Bello Matawalle's NINE children are having their wedding ceremony today.
President Tinubu is attending.
The wedding of his 9 children is happening at the National Mosque, Abuja
This is a new world record. https://t.co/enPduUaCil pic.twitter.com/xJkWBImKhJ
— Metro Naija (@metronaija) February 6, 2026
