Alibaba says wives behave better when they know their husbands have other wives

Veteran Nigerian comedian Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has shared his perspective on polygamy, describing it as a practice with both practical and cultural value in traditional African society.

Speaking during an interview with media personality Nedu, Alibaba said that some men believe having more than one wife brings balance and control within marriage.

“Some people feel if it’s only one wife, you may not be able to control the wife.

“But if the wife knows that you have more than one, she will calm down because she knows that if she misbehaves, another person is available,” he explained.

Alibaba went on to recall how women in certain parts of Nigeria once encouraged polygamy to protect their marriages from infidelity.

“I actually know of a woman in Ibadan who encouraged her husband to be a polygamist. Most of them back then marry a young girl and gift her to the husband because they don’t want the man to have concubines,” he said.

He further pointed out that polygamy was also a way to preserve family structures and provide for widows within traditional systems.

According to him, customs in some communities allowed a widow with young children to marry her late husband’s brother, ensuring that the children continued to receive care and support.

Describing it as a culturally rooted form of polygamy, Alibaba emphasized that such arrangements were not solely about desire but about responsibility, continuity, and communal care.