Okey Bakassi Advocates for Polygamy, Calls for Equal Rights for Men and Women in Marriage.
Nigerian comedian and actor Okey Bakassi has stirred conversations about marriage norms in Africa with his recent comments during an interview with The Honest Bunch.
Bakassi argued that monogamy is failing and proposed that both men and women should be allowed to marry multiple spouses if they wish.
Explaining his stance, the comedian said, “I still think that polygamy is the best form of marriage for Africa. Monogamy is not working. We’re pretending. It doesn’t stop you from marrying six people in your lifetime, but you must divorce them first. Why not allow people to keep multiple spouses at the same time?”
Bakassi highlighted that monogamy often leads to broken homes and lingering ties with former spouses due to shared responsibilities like raising children.
He criticized societal norms that stigmatize polygamy while indirectly enabling multiple marriages through divorces.
He also emphasized gender equality, stating that women should have the same right to marry multiple partners if they can afford it.
“If you’re a successful woman and feel one man won’t do, you need like two or three, should society allow it? Yes. Otherwise, you’ll keep divorcing and remarrying—it’s still multiple men,” he added.
Bakassi called for open discussions about marriage structures, noting that societal norms need to evolve to reflect modern realities.
His comments have sparked widespread debate on the practicality and morality of polygamy in contemporary Africa.
