Veteran Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has urged Nigerians to accept polygamy as part of the country’s tradition.
Speaking in an interview with Biola Bayo, the 55-year-old actress said that polygamy was a common practice in Yoruba families in the past, where men often had more than one wife.
Naijaonpoint reports that Akintola said the current shortage of men in society makes it reasonable for two women to share one husband.
She shared an example of a woman she knows who brought a second wife into her home because her husband’s sexual needs were higher than hers, and she wanted to avoid constant pressure.
In her view, some women even welcome sharing a husband to maintain peace in the household.
The actress also advised parents who prefer monogamy to focus on raising boys with strong values.
She explained that many men who cheat or practice polygamy were not taught discipline and respect from a young age.
She said: “With the way the world is going, people should embrace polygamy. You say marriage is everything, so if we don’t have enough men according to statistics, does that not mean two women to one man?
“I also believe it is part of our tradition. Most of Generation X, Yorubas, and even our parents had two to three wives. It was something we saw while growing up. Maybe we also noticed the disadvantages, but some people say there are advantages too.
“I know some women who would rather have a second wife. I even know someone who married a second wife for her husband so that she could have peace. They didn’t have the same libido. His was higher than hers, so she thought, ‘this man will kill me, let me find support,’ and she married a wife for him.”
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]