Julius Okorie
Nigerian stand-up comedian and actor, Okechukwu Anthony Onyegbule, popularly known as Okey Bakassi, has charged African men to call a spade by its name and embrace polygamy instead of suffering and smiling in monogamy.
Okey Bakassi of ‘A Night Of a Thousand Laughs ‘fame believes that polygamy is more suitable for Africans, adding that polygamy is failing in the continent and merely hanging in there.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe award winning Nollywood actor bared his mind on the issue during a conversation on the Honest Bunch Podcast, where he expressed that many couples in monogamous marriages are merely pretending to be happy. Many according to him are just patching the situation showcasing no cause for alarm in public but singing lamentation songs in private.
He said, “Forget all the lip services that we pay to polygamy here. I still think that polygamy is the best form of marriage for Africa. Monogamy is not working.
“We are pretending. Now, what’s the difference between polygamy and monogamy? Polygamy says you can marry two people at the same time. Monogamy says you cannot marry them at the same time, you have to let one go. What if you don’t want to let one go?”
Okey Bakassi who incidentally is a one wife man, married his long time heartthrob Ezinne with whom he has three kids. The couple who got married in 2001 have already celebrated their 24th anniversary and still counting.
In 2019 while the couple were celebrating their 18th anniversary, Okey Bakassi who has featured in several films including ‘Ngozi Abeg Marry Us”, ” Nine wives, “Bank Alert” and Wives on Strike” among others, went down memory lane, saying “My darling girlfriend of 31 years, on the 1st of September 2001 we, in the presence of God, family and friends became husband & wife. Wow! It is our 18th anniversary….it has been loads of blessings and divine favours…because I found a good woman.”
READ ALSO :Wait And Get Degrees: Nollywood Actor Solade Poses Vital Question
Collaborating Okey Bakassi’s view on polygamy, Nollywood veteran, Stephen Alajemba, practically wrote another commandment claiming that having less than three wives is sinful and dangerous.
Men with one or two wives according to him face risks, including that of being poisoned by their spouses.
In an interview with Ugwumba TV, Alajemba explained, “It’s a sin to marry one or two wives. But if you marry three or four, you will be free from sin. If you marry one wife your life is at risk. The safety of the director is in the hands of the security. If you marry two wives, they will conspire to poison you.
“But if you marry three or more wives, they will all be on their own and you will only be providing for them. You will be taking turns with their meals and bedrooms.”
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
