Marriage is said to be a life contract between bride and groom. Islam, unlike other religions is a strong advocate of marriage. There is no place for celibacy like, for example the Roman Catholic priests and nuns. The prophet Muhammad has said "there is no celibacy in Islam".

Marriage is a religious duty and is consequently a moral safeguard as well as a social necessity. Islam does not equal celibacy with high faithfulness. The prophet has also said, "Marriage is my tradition who so ever keeps away there from, is not from amongst me".

So, marriage acts as an outlet for sexual needs and regulates it, so one does not become a slave to his/ her desires. It is a social necessity because through marriage, families are established and the family is the fundamental unit of our society.

Furthermore, marriage is the only legitimate way to indulge in intimacy between a man and a woman. Islam takes a middle of the road position to sexual relations, it neither condemns it like certain religions, nor does it allow it freely. Islam urges us to control and regulate our desires, whatever they may be, so that we remain dignified and not become like animals.

Meanwhile, marriage in Islam is a legal contract between two people (bride and groom). The bride is to consent to the marriage of her own free will. A formal, binding contract is considered integral to a religiously valid Islamic marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom and bride. There must be two Muslim witnesses of the marriage contract.

The prayer of all parents therefore, is to see their wards fully grown and ready for marriage, in fulfilling this important aspect of their religion. The joy of the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State knew no bound as he gave his daughter, Rafiat Abdulwahab out in marriage.

It was a typical Nigerian- Ilorin and Islamic fun-filled wedding but with a touch of royalty as former Miss Rafiat Abdulwahab Oba Onipe, the daughter of the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed was taken down the aisle.

The Governor, members of the state executive council, Family, friends and well-wishers stormed the venue for the Wolimatul Qur'an of the bride and her three other elder brothers, Lukman, Mashood and Badisudeen Abdulwahab Onipe, at Popo Igbonna mosque, Ilorin.

The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Solihu presided over the well attended Wolimat, assisted by the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulhamid. In his thought-provoking lecture, the Grand Mukadam of Ilorin, Sheikh Sulaiman Dan-Borno admonished the celebrants to abide by the teachings of the glorious Qur'an.

He also advised the Onipe's heirs to hold tenaciously to the legacies and landmarks of their fore bearers by promoting Islam's good image. The State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed in his remark shortly after the wolimat urged the couple to adhere strictly to tolerance and perseverance particularly during their trying period.

Governor Ahmed who led other members of the state executive council to the programme rejoiced with his media aide and wished the couples well in their journey of life.

Saturday, November 28, 2015 witnessed Nikkah proper conducted by the Mudir- Markaz, Sheikh Habeebullahi Adam Al-Ilory and supported by other notable Islamic scholars from the Institute.

The Mudir, Sheikh Habeebullah Adam in his lecture, admonished the couple to put God first in everything they do, saying that "fear of God is the beginning of wisdom".

He stressed that marriage was a mutual understanding between couple to live together, advising the couple to respect each others differences.

Sheikh Adam used the opportunity of the well-attended Nikkah to address politicians, urging Muslim politicians to portray their religion in good light by shunning corruption, bigotry among other social ills.

He advised them to live above board, be role-models and always champion the course of rejuvenation.

n the Change mantra of the present All Progressives Congress(APC)-led government, the foremost Islamic cleric advocated patience and tolerance among Nigerians to ensure the entrenchment of the change.

Dr Yusuf Kolawole Jimoh later blessed the union after which a marriage certificate was presented to the couple, Rafiat and Isiaq by Dr Hamzat Abdulraheem of the Kwara State University.

After the Nikkah during which the marriage rites were conducted amid cheers and applause that rang across the ends of the venue, an opened space of Kwara state stadium complex.

The venue for the Nikkah and the follow-up reception where glasses were clinked and lips oiled looked very colourful in its expertly done décor.

All visitors arrived to melodious Islamic tunes from an Islamic live band supplied by an Ilorin-based singer, Saheedat Fatimah Jafariyah. Her mood-changing performance filled the air with an aura of Islamic religion frenzy. Simply, she set the tone.

The Nikkah and reception were indeed a gathering of men and women in the corridor of power and pen pushers in Kwara state and beyond among whom where representative of the Kwara Governor and the Head of Service, Hajia Zahra Omar, representative of Senate President and Director- General Mandate, Hon Abdulwahab Isa, Chief of Staff, Government House, Alhaji Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab, Senior Special Assistant Media, Dr Muhideen Akorede, Personal Assistant Political, Alhaji Lekan Alabi.

Others were; Principal Private Secretary to Governor Ahmed, Alhaji Abdulfatai Adeyemi, General Manager of The Herald Newspapers, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Adebayo, his Radio Kwara counterpart, Abdulateef Adedeji, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, National Pilot Newspaper, Alhaji Billy Adedamola, former Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Saraki, Alhaji Mas'ud Adebimpe, the Chairman, Kwara council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ), Mallam Abiodun Abdulkareem and other Journalists in the state.