Opinion by Comrade Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli
Marriage is the only institution that almighty God established himself when he wedded Adam and Eve.
Anything about God is sacred. Therefore, marriage is a sacred institution.
Marriage is a union between two strange fellows who decide to own each other. They decide to live together and in the process bring up children together.
Historically, marriage was premised on children and property ownership. Before contemporary marriages, men and women were shared. Children from women were owned by all.
The above changed when the need for individual ownership of children and properties arose.
Recently, we have been reading countless materials about the Ooni of Ife marrying many wives. It is even rumoured that the sixth or seventh wife is a wealthy Ph.D. holder.
Whatever the case, the Ooni’s example should not be a yardstick to derogate and denigrate young women who refused to be second wives.
The argument about the scarcity of men is relative. There are many irresponsible men and women, and while responsible men and women are scarce, it is not only men that are scarce.
Marriage is about choices with compatibility as a key ingredient.
While some cultures and traditions encourage polygamy, others do not celebrate it. But in most cases, it is individual choices.
A woman with good character who has also built her capacity is a hot cake to a multitude of men out there.
As we use Ooni of Ife for example, we should not fail to also use Dr. Ngozi Okonji Iweala as an example of the ideal woman. She is adored by her husband and billions of men all over the world.
Our young women can still build and position themselves like Dr. Ngozi Okonji Iweala knowing that there are many of her contemporaries that have failed marriages or did not even marry at all.
We need to stop the practice of dehumanizing and undermining our women. Let us not institutionalize the commoditization of women otherwise our beautiful and very resourceful daughters and sisters that we are spending huge fortunes to equip today may end up as ordinary properties of men tomorrow.
Conclusively, men should stop using the issue of marriage to dehumanize young women. Polygamy is not a tradition but a choice and for me, I do not encourage it while am not against those who practice it.
