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The Practice of Polygyny Among Contemporary Yoruba Muslims in South-Western Nigeria: Its Implications for Societal Peace

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The Practice of Polygyny Among Contemporary Yoruba Muslims in South-Western Nigeria: Its Implications for Societal Peace KIU Journal of Social Sciences KIU Journal of Social Sciences Copyright©2020 Kampala International University ISSN: 2413-9580; 6(1): 231–241 The Practice of Polygyny among Contemporary Yoruba Muslims in South-Western Nigeria: Its Implications for Societal Peace DAUDA ASHIR EGBEOLOWO Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria Abstract. Polygyny had been in practice among the “Polygamy” an umbrella term for the words Yoruba people from time immemorial due to many „polygyny‟ and „polyandry‟ is defined as marriage in reasons, among which are, inability of the wife to which a spouse of either sex may have more than one procreate, health challenges, the need for more hands mate at the same time. Polygyny is the state or to assist in agricultural works, and a mark of status. practice of having more than one wife or female mate However, in the recent time, many of the Yoruba at a time while polyandry on the other hands is the Muslim men practise polygyny lustfully to marry state or practice of having more than one husband or more than one wife and abandon them to fend for male mate at one time (Ambali, 1998: 160). In this themselves. This practice which is common among paper, the focus is to study the practice of the the Yoruba Muslims has given rise to a lot of restricted form of polygyny introduced by Islam problems in marriages which result in increase in among the contemporary Yoruba Muslims of South- dysfunctional families thereby posing a great threat to Western Nigeria and its implications for societal societal peace. This paper therefore, examines the peace. For the sake of clarity, the word „polygyny‟ is practice of polygyny among the contemporary used in this paper as a term that conveys plurality of Yoruba Muslims in South-western Nigeria with the wives. view to proffer practical solutions for curbing syncretic practices in Yoruba Muslim polygynous 1.1 Polygyny among the Yoruba People marriages. The study adopts the descriptive research design of a survey type. The target population for the Polygyny is not a new phenomenon among the study consists of the Yoruba Muslims living in the Yoruba in South-West Nigeria. It has been part of the South-Western part of Nigeria - Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Yoruba culture prior to the advent of Islam into the Ekiti, Osun and Lagos States. A total of 600 Muslim region. Being an agrarian community, multiplicity of men constituted the sample for the study. Also, the wives and children was the surviving mechanism for researcher made use of two focus group discussions their agricultural enterprise. Besides, polygyny was with 15 (fifteen) children and 15 (fifteen) women also seen as a status marker for it was prerogative of from Muslim polygynous families. As shown in the the affluent people (Johnson, 2009). Therefore, in the findings, majority of contemporary Yoruba Muslims ancient Yoruba society, the number of wives a man do not comply with Islamic principles on polygyny had and the number of children he gave birth to despite their understanding of those principles. The determined his social status in the society and his study then recommends that Muslim clerics and financial security at old age (Johnson, 2009). This Islamic organisations should intensify efforts in was the situation when Islam came, and as a religion educating Muslim couples on why polygyny is that permits multiple marriage system though in a acceptable and the conditions attached to its practice. restricted form, the Islamic system of polygyny easily fitted into the agrarian economy of the Yoruba Keywords: Polygyny, Yoruba Muslims, South- Society. However, with the advent of colonialism western Nigeria, Societal Peace which resulted in the introduction of western civilisation, the Yoruba economy, like those of other 1. Introduction African countries, changed (Akintoye, 2010). This led to change in taste, attitude and even sources of 231 KIU Journal of Social Sciences income. Many left the agrarian life of the village for principles on polygyny despite their understanding of urban cities and the demand for material wealth those principles. The study then recommends that became high (Oni, 1991). The new status however, Muslim clerics and Islamic organisations should did not change the polygynous life of the people, intensify efforts in educating Muslim couples on why particularly the Yoruba Muslims whose religion polygyny is acceptable and the conditions attached to sanctions it. Today, the injunctions of Allah on its practice. polygyny are grossly abused as the condition of necessity for marrying up to four wives and the 1.2 Polygyny in Religion maintenance of justice as well as equality among wives being conditions for practising it are being The issue of polygyny is not restricted to Islam alone. undermined. What is rampant among Yoruba There are also some Biblical records that indicate the Muslims today is multiplicity of wives and children practice of polygyny by many Prophets of God who without the corresponding financial wherewithal to were embodiment of virtues for their followers and sustain it. Many of them ceded their matrimonial even in the present generation. Among the many responsibilities such as feeding, sheltering, clothing Prophets of Allah who entered into plural marriages and settling medical and educational bills of both were Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) who had two wives and children to their wives. There are stories of wives; Prophet Jacob (Ya‟kub) with four wives and such husbands asking their wives for food when they Prophet David (Daud) with ninety-nine wives. did not provide the means by which the meals can be Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) had seven hundred free prepared. The implication is that such wives and noble women as wives and three hundred other wives children are driven to unpleasant behaviours. There who were slave women (Polygamy in Judaism and are also situations in which two or more women and Christianity, 2019). Below are the Biblical passages their children are kept in a single room where the that attest to these facts: husband mate with them while the children pretend to be asleep. This is indeed total abuse of Allah‟s Genesis 16:3, 1 king 11: 3, 2 Samuel 12 verses 7 and injunction on polygyny which stipulates that 8, Gen. 29:23, 28; 30:4, 9). husbands are maintainers of wives and children (Qur‟an 4:34). There are also cases of co-wives fighting one another on account of the husband 1.3 The Position of Shariah on Polygyny inclining towards one and neglecting others in terms of finance and sexual satisfaction. Such cases often Islam allows a Muslim to marry up to four wives but lead to chaos, and even murder within the family all with the condition that he will be able to deal justly of which disrupt the peace of the society in one way among them. The Muslim Jurists also agree on the or another. Hence, the Yoruba say: permissibility of a man marrying up to four wives at ‘Ile Olorogun, Ile Ariwo,’ meaning „a polygynous the same time (Ibn Rushd, 2005). This agreement is house is prone to uproars/ hostility‟ based on three verses in the Glorious Qur'an which are central in the discussion on multiplicity of wives. However, this could not happen in Muslim families if These are; Suratun- Nisa‟ Qur‟an 4 verses 3, 20 and the Islamic injunctions of fair play and equity among 129. The first verse reads: wives are embedded by the husband. If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry the women of your choice, This paper therefore, examines the practice of two, or three, or four. But if you fear that you shall polygyny among the contemporary Yoruba Muslims not be able to deal justly with them, then only one or in South-western Nigeria with the view to proffer (the captives) that your right hands possess. That will practical solutions for curbing syncretic practices in be nearer to prevent you from doing injustice (Quran Yoruba Muslim polygynous marriages. It adopts the 4:3). descriptive research design of a survey type. The target population for the study consists of the Yoruba In the above Quranic verse, Almighty Allah Muslims living in the South-Western part of Nigeria - recommends marrying up to four wives at a time with Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Lagos States. A proviso that the husband will be able to deal justly total of 600 Muslim men constituted the sample for between them. However, Allah (SWT) explains the study. Also, the researcher made use of two focus further in verse 5 the possibility of replacing a wife group discussions with 15 (fifteen) children and 15 with another if there is reason for such which include (fifteen) women from Muslim polygynous families. death of a wife or a wife being divorced but the As shown in the findings, majority of contemporary number must not exceed four wives at a time. This in Yoruba Muslims do not comply with Islamic Islamic term is called Isti l wj (wife 232 KIU Journal of Social Sciences replacement). On this Almighty Allah says: “But if should refrain from doing injustice to their wives as ye decide to take a wife in place of another, even if they did in case of the orphans. They were restricted ye had given the latter a whole treasure for a dower, to marry not more than four wives, if only they would take not the least bit of it back. Would ye take it by do justice to them. slander and a manifest wrong?.” In the third verse Allah says: Another view on the interpretation of these Quranic "Ye are never able to be fair and just as between verses is that of Hadrat Ibn Abbas and his disciple, women even if it is your ardent desire.
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