23-year-old Isa Suleiman and 46-year-old American Janine Sanchez have finally been pronounced as husband and wife.
Both were pronounced married in an Islamic marriage rite that held at the Barracks Mosque in Panshekara, Kano State.
The wedding was attended by many Nigerians including a former Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani.
After the marriage ceremony, Suleiman and Janine were seen with Senator Sani at a restaurant in Kano in a video that has since gone viral. See video below:
Recall that Suleiman fell in love with Janine after they met on Instagram last year.
Earlier this year before the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Nigeria, Janine took the risk of travelling from her home country, America to Panshekara in Kano State to meet her lover.
She did not bother about the difference in age or religion or race. Unconfirmed reports have it that Janine took care of her flight tickets and other expenses for that trip.
Suleiman, an operator of a Barbers Shop, paid N50,000 dowry to the bride in accordance with Islamic rites to formalise the marriage contract.
Hundreds of friends, well-wishers and family members of the groom attended the wedding prayer at the Panshekara Juma’at Mosque in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
The groom said he was happy to witness his wedding to Sanchez, whom he said he loves with deep affection.
He recounted how he met Sanchez on Istagram about a year ago and became friends, adding that he did not see age or race as a barrier to their union.
“I was cruising on Instagram and saw her profile. I found out that some scammers were trying to defraud her of her hard earned money.
“So, I sent a message warning her that those boys were not to be trusted and she should be careful with them that is how we started communicating,” he said.
On her part, Janine said she felt “relieved” to be united in matrimony with her Nigerian lover.
She said she was elated to be finally married to Suleiman after delays caused by the restrictions on movement of persons, occasioned by the COVID-19 lockdown across the globe.
Janine said: I had a flight ticket to fly to Nigeria from England, but it was cancelled a day after because the country was on lockdown then.
“So, everything was delayed, the airports in Nigeria were shut for a long time, it delayed everything, that is why it took me so long to get back here for the wedding.
“We have a planned Court wedding and immigration procedures to attend to after two weeks.
“I will go back to the U.S. and after a couple of months he (the groom) should be able to immigrate to the U.S.”
Janine who was dressed in light green lace attire said although she felt hot in her traditional wedding gown, the dress was beautiful.
“I like my dress it’s pretty. I also like Samovita and Egusi cuisine, we do not have things like that in America,” she said.
Janine, a divorcee and mother of two, resides in Linden in California.
“I have two children, a boy and a girl from my previous marriage. I and my ex-husband have joint custody of our kids, which is why I cannot take them away from their father.
“I like the people here, they are very friendly and welcoming.
“The children here love me, they embraced me warmly and enjoy playing with my hair. And the people are very busy and hardworking.
“Although, I was not looking to date anybody younger than 30, but Isa is matured for his age, when I talk to him I feel like I’m talking to somebody my age,” she said.
The Groom’s Father, Isa Panshekara, said he had no regrets that his son took a foreign lady as wife.
Panshekara said the bride’s parents had sent him a consent letter, endorsing their approval for the union.
He said that he would continue to encourage them to be happy and have a blissful marriage.
Also commenting, Sen. Shehu Sani, a family member of the groom, described the marriage as a “unifying force” between races and faiths.
“The union is a testimony that northern Nigeria is not just about banditry, terrorism and insurgency.
“You can find love in the north for Chinese, Indians, Arabs and people all over the world, who think of the north as simply a place of extremism and intolerance.
“This is a clear example of a union that would inspire other young people to find love. Northern Nigeria is a home of handsome, beautiful people which one has already won Jinnie’s heart,” Sani said.
