POLYGAMY – It is the state of marrying more than one wife.
Until recently, polygamy was common, right and even accepted by women in Nigeria. Men would father large amounts of children from many wives. Polygamy has been a traditional practice in Nigeria long before the colonialist and the missionaries came in.
There are several reasons why it is practiced in Nigeria. From the religious stand point, the Muslim dominated northern part of Nigeria has a high polygamy spread because it is permitted under Islamic law to marry up to four wives, as long as you can love them equally and mete out the same kind of treatment to all of them. There is also the war theory; only men fought wars in the past and many of them died in these wars, leaving fewer men to a lot of women. In some Nigerian traditions the size of a man's family signified the size of his wealth, therefore marrying many wives equaled having more children, having more children equaled having more farm hands. A larger farm and a lot of farm hands equaled bigger barns and a wealthier man.
Others may think the only outlet is that the society should tolerate all manners of sexual permissiveness: prostitution, sex out of wedlock, homosexuality, etc. For other societies , like most African societies today, the most honorable outlet is to allow polygamous marriage as a culturally accepted and socially respected institution. The point that is often misunderstood in the West is that women in other cultures do not necessarily look at polygamy as a sign of women's degradation. Many African wives urge their husbands to get a second wife so that they do not feel lonely. A survey of over six thousand women, ranging in age from 15 to 59, conducted in the second largest city in Nigeria showed that 60 percent of these women would be pleased if their husbands took another wife. Only 23 percent expressed anger at the idea of sharing with another wife. These women felt polygamy can be a happy and beneficial experience if the co-wives cooperate with each other. Polygamy in most African societies is such a respectable institution that some religious Christian bodies are becoming more tolerant of it.
Polygamy in Nigeria has several root causes-
Polygamy is traditional. This is true in many early cultures where there is a shortage of men due to fighting and wars. Tribes and clans in Nigeria commonly fought each other and of course, men were the primary victims. The ratio of men to women was unequal; so men were expected to have and support more than one wife. In Nigeria, traditionally there is no limit to the number of wives permitted. With large families, you have more workers to hunt, grow, and harvest; benefiting the family unit as a whole.. Children working in fields increase the harvest at a lower cost than hiring workers. More wives equal more children which meant more unpaid workers.
Polygamy is religious. Islam is one of the major religions in Nigeria. Islam permits a man to have four wives as long as ‘he’ can support them. Once again the number of children is a factor in Islam and a man with many sons is considered "blessed". Muslim children are also raised with the expectation that they will provide for their parents when their parents are old. Obviously, 30 children can better care for their parents in their old age that 23 children can. This makes polygamy a form of Social Security for Nigerians.
Indeed, many Nigerian men - Christians and Muslims alike - do not seem to share Nigerian women's growing interest in monogamy. Although, a minority of Nigerian men practice polygamy today, it is not unusual in the cities and is still a common practice in rural areas, where men have on average three wives. Nigeria is essentially and fundamentally a polygamous society; it is the quintessence of Nigerian culture – whether in Nigeria or abroad. Moslems make up a slim majority of the nation's population, and Islamic law allows a man to have four wives. But anyone, whether Moslem or Christian, can choose to wed under Nigeria's Marriage Act which legally recognizes only one wife. Even after marrying under the act, men may take other wives, either through a common-law marriage or in a marriage ceremony performed according to tribal traditions. In Nigeria, it's not a crime to have another woman.
Polygamy in urban Nigeria has changed markedly in a few generations. In the old society, the first wife was the senior wife. What is happening now is that the junior wife wants to be the only wife. The second one is pushing out the first. Nigerians don't really care who is sleeping with whom, but, when the mistress goes to the house, tells the wife, 'Move out. He doesn't care for you anymore,' and then they start fighting in the street, that's the story that Nigerians wake up to the next morning. Most people recognize the figures. They are high up in society, and as such, those who report the story are many times threatened with libel suits.
Polygamy is a very ancient practice found in many human societies. The Bible did not condemn polygamy. To the contrary, the Old Testament and Rabbinic writings frequently attest to the legality of polygamy. King Solomon is said to have had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Also, king David is said to have had many wives and concubines (2 Samuel 5:13). The Old Testament does have some injunctions on how to distribute the property of a man among his sons from different wives (Deut. 22:7). The only restriction on polygamy is a ban on taking a wife's sister as a rival wife (Lev. 18:18). The Talmud advises a maximum of four wives. However, under religious law which overrides civil law in such cases, it is permissible.
The Quran advises polygamy:
"If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one" (Quran 4:3).
The Quran, contrary to the Bible, limited the maximum number of wives to four under the strict condition of treating the wives equally and justly. It should not be understood that the Quran is exhorting the believers to practice polygamy, or that polygamy is considered as an ideal. In other words, the Quran has "tolerated" or "allowed" polygamy and no more, but why? Why is polygamy permissible ? The answer is simple: there are places and times in which there are compelling social and moral reasons for polygamy. As the above Quranic verse indicates, the issue of polygamy in Islam cannot be understood apart from community obligations towards orphans and widows. Islam as a universal religion suitable for all places and all times could not ignore these compelling obligations.
It is of interest to note that many, non-Muslim as well as Muslim, countries in the world today have outlawed polygamy. Taking a second wife, even with the free consent of the first wife, is a violation of the law. On the other hand, cheating on the wife, without her knowledge or consent, is perfectly legitimate as far as the law is concerned! What is the legal wisdom behind such a contradiction? Is the law designed to reward deception and punish honesty? It is one of the unfathomable paradoxes of our modern 'civilised' world.
Polygamus marriages are recognized in the south and Northern Nigeria majorly and civilly in nearly fifty countries, mostly Muslim and African countries. Almost a dozen countries that do not permit polygamous civil marriages recognize polygamous marriages under customary law, though in the eyes of the government, they are not considered to be genuine marriages. All Northern States in Nigeria recognize polygamous marriages, as these states are governed by Sharia Law (Muslim Custom). Districts in Eritrea that operate under Sharia also recognize polygamous marriages, while the federal government does not.
However, recent trends show many Nigerians have fewer wives today, than in the past, as the country's economic system changes.
The status of polygamy worldwide (according to colors):
Navy blue - Polygamous marriages recognized under civil law
Sky blue - Polygamous marriages recognized under civil law in some regions
Fuschia pink - Polygamous marriages performed abroad recognized
Yellow - Issue under political consideration
Grey - No recognition, polygamy legal
Red - Polygamy illegal, polygamous marriages constitutionally banned
Brownish gold - Polygamy illegal
Torquoise blue - Customary law recognizes polygamous unions
Credits: Map statistics Coined from WIKEPEDIA (world encyclopedia)
I am a woman...and i am so not for polygamy . Thank God am from christian 'my husband to be will not try it'..well he'll be a christian too so no wahala..