Polygamy: Marrying another wife is allowed – Court rules

An Igando Customary Court has ruled that marrying another wife is allowed in African tradition, especially when the parties were married under the native law and tradition.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Customary Court, presided over by Mr Koledoye Adeniyi gave the ruling on Thursday while dissolving a 30-year-old marriage between one Kayode Akinyade and Iyabode.

In the ruling, the President of the court said the marriage between the couple could no longer stand on allegations of fetishes, disrespect, home abandonment, infidelity, quarrels and threat to life.

He ruled that there was no more love after a careful review of the allegations and counter-allegations by the litigants.

The court, however, found nothing wrong with the petitioner marrying another wife, saying it is allowed in African tradition, especially when the parties were married under the native law and tradition.

It said that the evidence of the parties did not show that Kayode did anything at any point to empower his wife to reciprocate her efforts in supporting him as his first wife.

It frowned at the way the respondent abandoned her matrimonial home for years without her husband’s consent.

On the issue of fetishes, the court said it believes in the efficacy of charms, being a customary court.

It, however, said that the petitioner could not prove it against the respondent.

Kayode, who was the petitioner, dragged his wife to court, accusing her of fetish practices and threatening his life.