Can A Man Legally Marry Two Wives In Nigeria?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can a man legally marry two wives in Nigeria? Marrying multiple wives is a lot less common among educated people in Nigeria but polygamy still happens in rural areas, especially in the Muslim north.

It is legal

. Though the official marriage registry only allows for one wife, it also has a clause that allows for marriage under “customary” law.

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Is bigamy allowed in Nigeria?


By law, bigamy, a by-product of polygamy, is a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment in Nigeria

. It is an offence which arises from what is otherwise an incidence of marriage.

Can a man be married to two wives?


Polygamy is illegal and criminalized in every country in North and South America, including all 50 U.S. states

. However, in February 2020, the Utah House and Senate reduced the punishment for consensual polygamy, which had previously been classified as a felony, to roughly equivalent to a traffic ticket.

Can a man marry a second wife in court?

370 of the Criminal Code which provides as follows: Any person who, having a husband or wife living, marries in any case in which such marriage is void by reason of its taking place during the life of such husband or wife, is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.

How many wives can you marry in Nigeria?

Moslems make up a slim majority of the nation’s population, and Islamic law allows a man to have four wives. But anyone, whether Moslem or Christian, can choose to wed under Nigeria’s Marriage Act, which legally recognizes only

one wife

.

Can a man remarry without divorce in Nigeria?

In accordance with the provisions of the Matrimonial Causes Act,

a person who has been divorced in Nigeria can only remarry 90 days after the decree nisi has been issued

. It implies that a divorced person is only entitled to marry after the decree nisi has become absolute.

What happens if a man marries 2 woman?


Bigamy is a crime. Jail is one of the punishments, but it is typically not imposed

, as there is rarely enough time, jail space and money to house the perpetrator of a non-violent crime…

What happens if you get married while already married?


The second marriage is void and grounds for an annulment

. One of the requirements of obtaining a marriage license is the dissolution or annulment of all previous marriages. Failure to do so can result in a bigamous marriage. An individual who knowingly enters into a bigamous marriage has committed the crime of bigamy.

What is second wife of husband called?

It’s called

a concubine

.

Do you need permission from first wife for second marriage?


It is not obligatory for the husband, if he wants to take a second wife, to have the consent of his first wife

, but it is good manners and kindness to deal with her in such a manner that will minimize the hurt feelings such thing might produce.

What is the punishment for bigamy in Nigeria?

Bigamy. Any person who, having a husband or wife living, marries in any case in which such marriage is void by reason of its taking place during the life of such husband or wife, is guilty of a felony and is liable to

imprisonment for seven years

.

Can a man do court wedding twice in Nigeria?

Under civil law,

Nigeria does not recognize polygamous unions

. However, 12 out of the 36 Nigerian states recognize polygamous marriages as being equivalent to monogamous marriages. All twelve states are governed by Sharia Law.

How can I marry two wives?

Under Indian law,

a person cannot marry or keep two wives at the same time

. Such practice is illegal and liable to punishment. Thus, there cannot be a specific one definite answer to whether polygamy legal in India or not.

How many wives can a Yoruba have?

The reason is that both the Yoruba and the Islamic cultures approved it even though Islam approves it with certain restrictions such as a maximum of four wives at a time for example, while Yoruba culture allows

unlimited polygyny

also for other reasons earlier mentioned.

How many years do you have to be separated to be legally divorced in Nigeria?

You have both lived apart for a continuous period of

at least two years

and you both want a divorce – agreement of both parties is necessary for this ground to be used.

How can I get a quick divorce in Nigeria?

  1. Consult a Lawyer. The first thing to do after deciding to get a divorce is to consult and brief a divorce lawyer about the divorce. …
  2. Ground for divorce. …
  3. The Two-year rule. …
  4. Divorce Process. …
  5. Filing a Petition. …
  6. Hearing of The Petition. …
  7. Judgment, Decree and Divorce Certificate.

What are the marriage laws in Nigeria?

33. (1) No marriage in Nigeria shall be valid where either of the parties thereto at the time of the celebration of such marriage is married under customary law to any person other than the person with whom such marriage is had.

What is having two wives called?


Polygamy

is a type of relationship that typically involves a person marrying more than one partner. 1 When a woman marries more than one man, it’s called polyandry . Polygamy is the opposite of monogamy, where one person marries one spouse. Polygamy is either illegal or discouraged in most regions.

Can you legally have 2 wives?


Both polygamy and bigamy are illegal in every state

, in spite of the fact that tens of thousands of people in North America are involved in multiple marriages.

Can you remarry if you are not divorced?


Getting married to someone before their divorce is finalized, even if you didn’t know they were still married, constitutes bigamy

. Bigamy is a federal crime and is illegal in all states; however, certain states, like Utah, have very lax rules on bigamy.

Can I remarry without getting a divorce?


No. You cannot get married without getting a divorce order from the court

. It is an offence under the Indian penal code to get married while one has got a spouse living.

What is the girlfriend of a married man called?

In modern times, the word “

mistress

” is used primarily to refer to the female lover of a man who is married to another woman; in the case of an unmarried man, it is usual to speak of a “girlfriend” or “partner”. The term “mistress” was originally used as a neutral feminine counterpart to “mister” or “master”.

What is it called when a man has a wife and a girlfriend?

These people practice

polyamory

, or the practice of having multiple romantic relationships. But they claim they’re not cheating or running around; rather, a central tenet of polyamory is garnering your partner’s consent to date and fall in love with multiple people.

Can I marry someone who’s already married?

In the United States, individuals can only be married to one person. That means that if you’ve already been married,

you must be legally divorced from your civil marriage before remarrying

. A legal separation does not give you the greenlight to get married while still married.

What is the punishment for second marriage?

The punishment for bigamy is

imprisonment, which may extend till 7 years or fine or both

. In case the person charged of bigamy has performed the second marriage by hiding the fact of first marriage, then he shall be punished with imprisonment of up to 10 years or fine or both.

Why being the second wife is better?

Being someone’s second wife

may force you to look at your relationship in a more mature and respectful way

. It can make you learn to communicate about the present and the future – because more often than not, your partner isn’t looking to make the same mistakes again.

How do you do a second marriage?

  1. Build a culture of appreciation, respect, and tolerance. …
  2. Practice being vulnerable in small steps. …
  3. Create time and a relaxed atmosphere to interact with your partner. …
  4. Discuss expectations to avoid misunderstandings. …
  5. Prepare for conflict. …
  6. Communicate effectively. …
  7. Embrace your role as a stepparent.

Is it a crime to sleep with a married woman?


There is nothing “illegal” per se about having sex with a married women.

Is adultery illegal in Nigeria?

Is bigamy legal in Lagos?

Yes, it is true that

Lagos State has eradicated bigamy from its State law

but that has not totally given cover to those who are married under the Act (a monogamous marriage) and still married to another person under whatever form of marriage. A bigamist can still be tried and convicted of the crime in Lagos State.

What are the disadvantages of court marriage in Nigeria?

  • DIVORCE CASES. One of the major disadvantages of court marriage or wedding is the case of divorce. …
  • TIME CONSUMING PROCESS OF PUTTING UP THE WEDDING. Another big disadvantage of court wedding that we need to know is the time consuming process of putting up the wedding. …
  • STRICT FILLING OF FORMS.

How much does court marriage in Nigeria cost?

What are the three types of marriage in Nigeria?

Nigerian law envisages 3 types of marriages namely;

Traditional/Customary marriage; Church/Islamic marriage and Statutory marriage

.

What is the punishment for bigamy in Nigeria?

Bigamy. Any person who, having a husband or wife living, marries in any case in which such marriage is void by reason of its taking place during the life of such husband or wife, is guilty of a felony and is liable to

imprisonment for seven years

.

Is bigamy legal in Lagos?

Yes, it is true that

Lagos State has eradicated bigamy from its State law

but that has not totally given cover to those who are married under the Act (a monogamous marriage) and still married to another person under whatever form of marriage. A bigamist can still be tried and convicted of the crime in Lagos State.

Is adultery illegal in Nigeria?

Under the criminal code,

adultery is not a crime

, hence, a person cannot be punished for adultery in Southern Nigeria but a person can be punished with 2 years imprisonment term and or with a fine in Northern Nigeria where the penal code/ Sharia law applies.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.