Hardship: “Stick to one wife” – Emir of Zazzau Tells Northerners

• Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamali, the Emir of Zazzau, has advised financially disadvantaged Muslim men to consider marrying only one wife.

• The advice is given in response to the increasing economic hardship in the country and the challenges of raising a family with limited resources.

• The monarch expressed concern about the detrimental effects of polygamy, citing the discord within families due to the inability of family heads to fulfill their duties.

The Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamali, has urged Muslim men to reconsider polygamy if they lack the financial means to properly support multiple families.

Speaking at the closing of the 30th Annual Ramadan Lecture organized by the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), the Emir highlighted the growing economic challenges facing many Nigerians. He expressed concern that many men continue to marry multiple wives without the resources to adequately care for them and their children, leading to broken homes and societal issues.

The Emir pointed out that while Islam permits men to marry more than one wife, it also emphasizes the responsibility that comes with such a decision. “In the palace, there are 192 families living within and among them, you would see a man with over 50 children; how can he cater for them?” he said.

He also advocated for the revision of the Islamiyya curriculum to include education on the rights of women and girls, which he believes is essential for societal reform.

Additionally, the Emir criticized elements of the justice system, citing the case of a woman who was jailed for owing just N6,000. He shared that during a recent visit to a prison, he used N200,000 in personal funds to secure the release of eight inmates.

The monarch emphasized the need for compassion, responsibility, and reforms in both family life and the judicial system to build a more just and balanced society.