| The purpose of this article is to stimulate a debate on | | | | bearing to a few than to one person, (5) infertility which |
| the practice of polygamy within the African setting. My | | | | is usually blamed on the wife, (6) royal succession – |
| premise is that polygamy was a practice of a few | | | | to strengthening or forging political alliance. One might |
| (mainly rich) men in almost every African community. | | | | want to add that some reasons include sheer hunger |
| If this premise is correct or valid, then it is debatable if | | | | for status. |
| polygamy was in reality a cultural practice or norm as | | | | It is common knowledge that preferential treatment |
| it is often purported. | | | | within a polygamous marriage breeds in-fighting, |
| The practice of polygamy is/was also allowed and | | | | jealousy, witchcraft, and animosities. The Bible also |
| protected within the Jewish, Islam, and other tribal | | | | records several incidences of in-fighting within |
| religious systems. | | | | polygamous marriages. We are not using these |
| Polygamy continues to be a practice of choice among | | | | in-fighting and feuds as an argument against polygamy. |
| few rich African men within African communities. | | | | One wife marriages also have their own marital |
| Refraining from practicing polygamy by a rich man | | | | challenges/feuds/in-fighting. |
| does/did not necessarily constitute a violation of | | | | The thrust of this short article is not the merits or |
| African culture and norms. | | | | demerits of polygamy. The article is aimed at |
| Several reasons have been advanced as to why few | | | | stimulating a debate on the view that polygamy, |
| African men opted for polygamous relationships. | | | | especially within African communities, was not a |
| Reasons ranging from (1) a better alternative to | | | | cultural norm, but a practice by few men. If this view is |
| divorce, (2) adding more hands to improve the | | | | valid, it is, therefore, inaccurate to conclude that the |
| economy of the household, (3) inheriting dead | | | | practice of polygamy was or is part of African culture. |
| brother’s wife, (4) spreading the burden of child | | | | |