This article will focus on the merits and demerits of polygamy in Nigeria.
Before we continue with our discussion, we will briefly look at what polygamy is all about.
Polygamy is a common marriage practice in Nigeria. We have a very high level of polygamy, particularly in northern Nigeria. That’s because the Islamic religion supports a man with multiple wives.
And most northerners in Nigeria practice Islam as a religion. Although polygamy is also practiced in other parts of the country.
What Does Polygamy Mean?
In simple terms, polygamy is a kind of marriage where a man marries more than one woman. And is a form of marriage practiced in most countries all over the world, including Nigeria.
Is Polygamy Accepted in Nigeria?
There are faiths and traditions in Nigeria that allow polygamy, especially Islam. But Christianity forbids polygamy.
However, the Nigerian justice system does not allow any form of polygamy. When you are caught in bigamy, you will be prosecuted by the law.
In addition, this law is only applicable to Nigerians who are married in the courthouse.
Foredeal of Polygamy
There are several advantages of polygamy. So let’s see what you stand to benefit if you’re involved in polygamy.
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Companionship
You can hardly be bored when you have more than one single wife in the house. Even if a partner is not available, others will be there to keep you company.
You won’t lack someone to talk to, considering the number of women you can have. If you sense that those you have are not enough, you can add more.
Besides, you have enough leverage to acquire more partners.
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Decrease Marital Unfaithfulness
Some men embark on sexual exploration, where they want a foretaste of different women.
As a result, the rate of adultery has risen among monogamous men in Nigeria. Just ’cause they’re not sexually happy with a woman. So they would rather look at other women for sexual satisfaction.
But in a polygamous marriage, one can have several sexual partners at one’s disposal.
In that case, there won’t be a need for sexual exploration.
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Expand Relationship
The more wives you marry, the more connections you have with other people. So when you have many people with whom you are connected, you tend to take advantage of some social privileges.
These privileges can include getting a good job, especially when you get married to an influential family.
Unlike monogamous marriage, where your connection to people is limited.
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Less Fear for Divorce
People are not overly afraid when they are on the verge of divorce in a polygamous marriage. Just because they have several partners they can come back to. F
For this reason, they find it easy to replace any partner that is not interested to continue with the marriage.
This is why it’s easier for a polygamous man to unleash one wife than a monogamous man.
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Division of Labor
In a polygamous marriage in Nigeria, the women share all the household duties. Even if one of them is at work, others will be there doing the housework. You don’t need to hire an external hand to do your housework. In that case, you can save expenses to hire a maid.
The Downside of Polygamy in Nigeria
Every form of marriage in Nigeria has its upside and downside. In this section, we shall examine the disadvantages of polygamy in Nigeria.
Below are some disadvantages of polygamy.
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Health Implications
You can be exposed to various sexually transmitted infections when you have sex with multiple partners. Once a partner becomes infected, there is a high probability that others will become infected as well.
It is the case in a polygamist marriage, where the man makes love with more than one partner.
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Demands a lot of Cash
A polygamous marriage involves so much expenditure that can never be avoided. The cost of acquiring these women is one factor to take into consideration. Plus, you need a bigger house to contain yourself and your partners.
That’s a huge expense on your side.
Expenses will go up when your partners carry kids for you. Because, it is an additional responsibility on your part to meet their needs through proper nutrition, school, clothing, and so on.
Sure, you’ll spend more money to have all these done, compared to when you have just a single wife.
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Future Dispute Among Children
This is the most prevalent problem among children of a polygamous house. These children born of different mothers tend to disagree about how wealth is shared.
Even when the wealth is shared among them, some will not agree with what they have been given. Everyone will be claiming sole possession.
In other cases where the wealth to be shared between the children is not sufficient, serious hate set in. You will see mothers and children struggling in their daily lives.
In Nigeria, the situation has become common in most polygamous households.
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No Equal Treatment among Spouses
Not all women are treated with the same care and affection. Some spouses are treated with a certain specialty, especially the favorites. And other spouses are neglected because the man will scarcely have time for them.
Looking at the fact that there are several women in the house.
That has caused so many women to be frustrated with their marriage. Because they don’t enjoy their marriage as it should be. Hence, making some of the spouses seek to divorce.
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Lack Fathers Care
There is an increasing number of children within a polygamous household. In Nigeria, you hardly can find a polygamous home with fewer children.
In this case, dads barely have time to spend with their children. The kids are always alone with their mothers. As a result, it makes kids feel the absence of their dad all the time.
Sometimes, it is not all about having the money to feed them or give them the best of material possession. But your kids need your love and your focus as a father.
There are several other downsides of polygamous unions in Nigeria. Those mentioned earlier are just a few of them.
But with the few we’ve talked about so far, you can see the advantages and disadvantages of polygamy in Nigeria. You now know whether polygamy is the way to go or not.
The choice lies with you.