“I want to divorce my husband because he is super boring” wife alleged in court. In the United States, 1 out of every 2 couple ends up divorcing while in Belgium, 2 out of every 3 marriages ends in divorce.
Portugal, Spain, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, and Hungary is 60% divorce rate. Chile been the lowest with 3%.
Source: Pamela Engel, 2016 Business Insider Inc.
There are no official data for Nigeria but the exponential increase in divorce cases in Nigerian court is a thing of worry.
Is divorce-to-remarry now the new polygamy or is it another form of civilisation?
I Spoke to a Counselor in Guidance and Counselling on this Topic. These were Her Thoughts.
Question: Can a man love more than one woman?
Counselor Answered: Men are better in a position to answer this particular question but my response will be based on how women feel about it. Before I got married, l met a man who wanted to marry me. To my greatest dismayhe said, “I have just 3 wives, they are not up to 4 so I am free to marry you”. He insisted it is wholly acceptable in his religion. The thought of becoming number four in this list banished the interest I had for him and I honestly asked him never to come back again.
Question: Do religious and cultural believes play a role in our choice of action and also what we accept or condone?.
Counselor: Yes it does. Some religion encourages polygamy while others has no strong position against it. In some culture women see polygamous home as a more lively home.
In fact, I am aware of a situation where a woman said to her husband, why don’t you marry another woman so I can have a mate, someone to talk to and relate with while you are away on your many trips just like other families.
Question: So the aggression shown by woman today is not inborn? Can we assume it is a consequence of socialisation or civilisation?
Counselor: Narrowly yes. When any practice becomes a norm as human, we tend to agree and accept especially when there are no better observable alternative(s).
Question: As a woman, how will you feel if your husband decides to marry another woman?.
Counselor: polygamy is a no for me, I always want to know where my husband is, who he is with and what he is doing. Polygamy is a domestic war in this present century. I don’t think any woman will be happy with a man who makes her one among others even though she is made to be quite about it.
Below is my interview with A Professor of English and History on the issue of Polygamy, divorce and remarry.
DamaBel 