Why Alibaba Thinks Polygamy Still Makes Sense

I didn’t expect to be thinking this much about marriage models today, but here we are. The veteran Nigerian comedian and actor Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome — everyone just calls him Alibaba — recently talked about polygamy in an interview with media host Nedu. He didn’t give a polished academic lecture. Instead, he offered a mix of memories, cultural observations, and a few blunt, even awkward, truths. I’ll try to restate what he said, add a bit of context, and — well — react a little, since some of it landed oddly for me, and some of it made sense.

Polygamy as a practical arrangement

Alibaba’s first line of thought was straightforward: sometimes polygamy is practical. He argued that having more than one wife can reduce tensions and promote cooperation in a household. That’s not the kind of reason you hear in many modern debates — which usually swing between moral outrage and legalities. Here’s the point he made: if a wife knows there’s another woman in the picture, that knowledge can change how she behaves, allegedly calming some conflicts. I’m not saying I agree with the logic wholesale. It’s a bit rough around the edges, maybe even controlling sounding. But you can see why, in certain settings, people have historically seen it as a way to manage relationship dynamics.

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He also pointed to situations where polygamy grew out of need — not desire. Think about it: when a man dies leaving a young wife and kids, families often had to make fast, practical decisions. Sometimes a brother or relative stepped in. That kind of arrangement, Alibaba said, wasn’t always about choice but survival and care. It’s a reminder that some social practices develop because they solve real problems in difficult circumstances. And that’s a nuance worth holding onto — not every example is about power or control; some are about protection and economic stability, however flawed the solution might be.

Tradition, gifts, and social strategies

Alibaba told a story about old Ibadan, where some women actually encouraged their husbands to take another wife. That surprised me at first — I admit I’d been picturing all the women being opposed. But he explained a strategy: some women brought young brides into the family or gave gifts so their husbands would not take concubines elsewhere. It sounds strange to modern ears, but culturally it was a tactic to maintain honor, lineage, or peace in the household. People make compromises — or workarounds — to preserve status, resources, or family cohesion. The detail about elders arranging or supporting polygamy as a way to prevent secret infidelity is a bit ironic, and maybe a little tragic if you think about the human costs involved. Still, it highlights how social practices are rarely simple.

Stability and the controversial parts

Alibaba didn’t ignore the controversy. He acknowledged that many people disagree with polygamy. Yet, he also pointed out something that made me pause: critics who insist polygamy is wrong sometimes still live complicated private lives — dating multiple people, fathering children with different partners, or keeping fragmented family arrangements. So his point, in short, was: there’s a hypocrisy there. Perhaps. Or maybe it’s just that modern life creates similar messy consequences even without formal polygamous arrangements. I’m not defending the practice. I’m just noting that Alibaba used the observation to argue that polygamy isn’t necessarily the wild exception it’s made out to be — it’s one of several ways societies cope with human desire, need, and social structure.

The gray area: culture versus choice

What struck me about Alibaba’s comments is his attempt to separate culture and choice. In some cases, polygamy is embedded in tradition and social expectations — people follow it because it’s what their family or community does. In other cases, it’s a response to poverty, loss, or the need for childcare. He didn’t romanticize it. He didn’t say it’s the best model. Rather, he framed it as one tool among many — sometimes useful, sometimes harmful, depending on the context.

There’s also the matter of consent and power. Alibaba’s examples sometimes gloss over whether everyone involved truly had a real choice. Was the young bride given freely? Were women pressured by elders? Did economic dependence force decisions? Those are important questions. He didn’t dwell on them long, and that felt like a gap — but then, the interview wasn’t a full sociological study. It was a celebrity speaking from memory and culture, with personal opinions folded in.

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Personal reaction — a mixed bag

I found myself shifting between sympathy and skepticism. On one hand, I can appreciate that certain practices evolve because they work — at least locally — to solve pressing problems. On the other hand, it’s hard to ignore how polygamy, historically and today, can reinforce gender hierarchies and limit women’s autonomy. So yes, I’m torn. Alibaba’s view reminded me that social practices aren’t simply right or wrong; they come wrapped in history, economics, and messy human choices.

A few points worth holding onto

• Polygamy has both cultural and practical roots in many places. You can see it as tradition or as a survival mechanism.
• Not all polygamous arrangements are voluntary in the modern sense; some are driven by pressure, poverty, or funeral-family decisions.
• People criticising polygamy sometimes lead lives that produce similar social outcomes (multiple partners, broken family units), which complicates moral arguments.
• The debate around polygamy should include questions about consent, power, and whether alternatives might protect vulnerable people better.

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So, Alibaba is not saying polygamy is perfect, far from it. He’s saying it’s part of the toolkit societies have used, sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for bad. Does that make it right? Not necessarily. But his take does nudge us to consider context before dismissing or praising whole practices out of hand.