Emir Sanusi’s One-Poor-Man-One-Wife Proposal, Borno Women React
By Ogbolu George
Borno women have expressed mixed reactions over the move by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, to ensure that poor men did not marry more than one wife.
In an interview with some women in Maiduguri, some wholeheartedly supported the move, while others thought the idea was out of place.
The Emir had, at an occassion, stated that some people who are not financially stable, marry more than one wife and end up not living up to their responsibilities of catering for their wives and children.
He indicated that he intended initiating a bill that would bar poor men from marrying more than one wife.
Aisha Ibrahim, a married woman said that most men would only listen to you when you advocate polygamy.
”Many of them engage in extra-marital affairs while abandoning their true wives at home.
”They should acquaint themselves with Qur’an, Hadith and Tafsir where every aspect of mankind, from Adam and Eve, to the last generation, has been clearly explained,” she said.
Another housewife, Amina Ba’ana wondered why all the ‘hullabaloo’ as the Emir was only being realistic.
She said the Emir did not say men shouldn’t marry more than one wife but that men should be able to take responsibility and cater for all the wives they choose to marry and their children.
However, Maryam Bala, a spinster, said marriage would always be destined by God and not by human plans.
She said that Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was once quoted as urging his people to ”marry and have children so I can be proud of you”.
”The Emir might not be wrong but yet his statement is demoralising for women who have yet to meet their future partners.
”There are many women than men in the world, who is going to marry them?” she queried.
Speaking on the issue, a lecturer of Political Science at the Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, Muhanad Askira said the ”Almajiri system, as presently constituted, is an affront to our religion, culture and civilisation”.
He said no community would succeed if it continues to condemn its future generations to begging and all sorts of societal indignities.
The lecturer said parents now abandon their responsibilities by sending their wards off to distant lands for economic reprieve.
He also said he wondered how the public feels when promising children take to the street to beg.
Malam Othman Ibn-Abdullahi, a cleric, said that people have abused the values and teaching of prophet Muhammed.
He said marrying more than one wife is right so long you can cater for them and treat them equally.
