President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday played the role of the Father of the Day at the wedding fatiha of 10 children of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, held at the National Mosque, Abuja.

The brief but well-attended ceremony attracted a distinguished gathering of high-ranking dignitaries, including serving and former governors, members of the National Assembly and heads of key government agencies.

Also in attendance was the President of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, President Carlos Vila Nova, lending support in a show of diplomatic goodwill and personal solidarity.

The event began with Jumat prayers, after which the presiding Imam of the National Mosque, Prof. Zakariyya Lukman, delivered a sermon centred on spiritual and physical preparation ahead of the Ramadan fast.

In his supplication, Prof. Zakariyah said: “We pray to Almighty Allah to give our President, who is representing all, the father of all the brides and the grooms, good health.

“We also ask Allah to grant our President long life, prosperity and success during his presidency. We pray that his tenure will bring hope to the hopeless.”

He urged worshippers to embrace repentance, seek forgiveness and align their conduct with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as the holy month approaches.

Proceedings later shifted to the solemnisation of the wedding fatiha involving five grooms and five brides, marking the union of ten of the minister’s children.

The Minister married five of his sons and five of his daughters out to their pairs.

The sons and their new brides are: Abdulahi Bello Matawalle and Fatima Sumaila Mera; Fahad Bello Matawalle and Maimuna Buhari Bello Maikusa; Bello Bello Matawalle and Huseina Maiwada Gwamna; Surajo Bello Matawalle and Yasmin Saheed.

The daughters and their grooms are Safiya Bello Matawalle and Yahuza Shehu Danfulani; Fareeda Bello Matawalle and Ibrahim Sahibi Salim; Nana Firdausi Bello Matawalle and Hon Nasiru Muazu; Aisha Bello Matawalle and Ibrahim Muktar.

President Tinubu received the brides on behalf of the Matawalle family, symbolically welcoming them into the household.