Abstract
Before Islam and Christianity religions came to Yoruba land, a typical Yorùbá man always earned respect, honour, and always acclaimed to be a rich man by the number of wives he married in his home. Polygyny then, to a larger extent was popularly practiced among the Africans especially the Yorùbá people. This paper discusses the crisis that always bewilders a polygynous family especially among the Yoruba people whose culture and tradition embrace Polygyny. To shed more light on this study, the paper critically examines the music of a popular high-life artiste of late Owomoyela Orlando popularly called “Orlando Owoh” that was titled “Orogun Meji”. It exposes conflicts and crisis that always characterize a polygynous home. Also, some Yoruba oral and written literature like Ifá corpuses, songs, and Yoruba proverbs are evidentially used to establish that, though tradition or culture may allow Polygyny yet Polygyny always has bad side effects on family. Relevant works of scholars on music and songs were reviewed to drive home our points on the issues and conflicts in polygynous homes. The paper concludes by admonishing intending polygynisist to think deeply and also gather the necessary wisdom and skills required in managing a polygynous home harmoniously before venturing into it else the home may not be peaceful and habitable.
DOI: 10.36349/zamijoh.2025.v03i02.001
author/Oyedeji Victor Abimbola (Ph.D)
journal/Zamfara IJOH Vol. 3, Issue 2
