See The Tribe In Nigeria Where Women Have More Than One Husband

Polyandry, the practice of a woman having two or more husbands simultaneously, is a phenomenon that may raise eyebrows in many cultures. While polygamy, where a man has multiple wives, is common and widely accepted in various traditions and religions around the world, the reverse is not as familiar.

In certain parts of the world, including specific regions in Africa and countries like Nepal, China, and parts of Northern India, polyandry is considered normal. One such place is the Irigwe tribe in Northern Jos, Nigeria, where women were historically allowed to practice polyandry.

The Irigwe people, a distinct community of around 17,000 individuals living on the western edge of Plateau, Jos, have unique customs, language, and social traditions that set them apart from neighboring tribes. In their culture, women had the liberty to have multiple husbands and move freely between their houses. Although a woman might have multiple spouses, the paternity of her children was attributed to the husband with whom she resided at a given time. This practice persisted for many decades until it was officially prohibited in 1968.

Polyandry served several purposes within the Irigwe society:

Economic Considerations: It allowed for the pooling of resources, labor, and land among the husbands, a significant advantage in their agrarian communities.
Infertility Solution: When one husband faced challenges in fathering children, the responsibility of parenthood was shared among the other husbands in the marriage.
Preservation of Inheritance and Land Rights: Polyandry sometimes helped safeguard family land and property rights. Since children born in such marriages were considered heirs of all the husbands, the family’s assets remained collectively owned.

Credit: Pulse

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