EFFECTS OF POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGE

Ochai G. Isaac

 

Over time, polygamy has gained a legal recognition in countries such as Sri Lanka, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia as well as India. Though, in the aforementioned countries, it is only legal for Muslims-in Nigeria and South Africa it is contained under customary law and legal for both Christians and Muslims. In Mauritius, it has no legal recognition. Yet, despite its legal recognition and fame, certain individuals are of the opinion that it never yield a single positive effect in the society whereas, some other argue that it has no single negative value. Yet some others prove that it has both positive and negative effects.

 

In Nigeria, the act of getting married to more than two or more wives could be said to have become unduly rampant. Youths of nowadays in especially remote regions are soiled in this practice as they believe it is a lay-down pattern which must be maintained. Hence, illiteracy, lack of civilization as well as education can be viewed as some of the major causes of polygamy. A lot are still oblivious of the ‘afflictions’ it has so far brought upon the Nigerian society.

 

Polygamy gives rise to birth rate as a single man with two or more wives can give birth to possibly 20 children. Such is even a saturated case to consider. By the current level of the Nigerian economy, it is plain the needs of the people are always higher than the available resources. Certain portions that should be allocated towards other pressing sectors may be diverted towards provision of extra food and education due to increase in population of the people. A saying goes thus: ‘’too many cooks spoil the broth’’. The country’s capacity is yet to surround its present population yet; all we have is alarming increase in birth rate. Today for instance, it can be assumed that some people give birth at the detriment of the government. In a like manner, they had hardly considered the welfare of the children before giving birth. Consequently, over population sets in even right from the family before it had spread across the country at large. To some, education may not be available while some others may not have interest. In that wise, children/youths will be pushed to roam the street thereby breeding one moral decadence or the other which may include armed robbery, assassination, rape, vandalism and the likes.

 

What is most pitiable is most men who practise polygamy are the poor. They are those you find in beleaguered villages. Sometimes, a three square meal is difficult and such meal is hardly balanced in diets. The man’s occupation is mainly farming except few that may be protean. They are some who are farmers, petty traders as well as palm wine tappers. The husband is the gaunt person among the family members as he would always run helter-skelter to fend for their basic needs most times he had barely eaten. Yet, he would return to sleep with at least two of his wives on the same day with yet carbohydrate for a square meal.

 

Husband soon, grows sick-sometimes it may be from leukaemia and rheumatoid arthritis resulting from blood deficiency and excessive strenuous work so soon before ageism sets in. Consequently, his life would be at stake as he could be prone to untimely death due to deficiency in diets.

 

Yet it is a sin. Yes, to an ideal Christians is always a sin to marry more than one wife or husband (polyandry). This hinged on the evidence which is seen in Matthew 19:4 and Mark 10:6-8. In these bible passages, it is explained that one man must marry one woman. In that wise, polygamy is never intent of God and thus, Christians who indulge in it are direct sinners in the sight of God.

 

Some homes suffer violence as a result of hatred from stepmothers. It breeds hatred across the family and the nation at large.

Thus in conclusion, there’s almost no advantage this act holds out as such, one might be advised to decease fully from it. A single man to a single woman can remind us of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ I suppose. Love is perfect only in unison!