Alhaji 86 wives is directed..

In Nigeria, where stories can disappear without trace from the Media (I wonder why...), its nice to see a bit of follow-up every now and then:

By Aideloje Ojo, Minna

The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar has given the man with 86 wives a two-day ultimatum: Retain four and divorce the rest or leave Nupe land.

Under Islamic law, a muslim is allowed to marry not more than four wives but Muhammed Bello Abubakar Masaba Bida has over the years gone ahead to accumulate a harem of 86 spouses.

The Jama'atu Nasurul Islam, an umbrella organisation of emirs and top muslim clerics weekend wrote the Etsu Nupe and chairman Niger State Council of Chiefs to summon Bello and explain the law to him.

The Etsu Nupe did exactly that at a meeting with Bello which was also attended by Muslim leaders. He said the safety of the man could not be guaranteed if he failed to abide by the instructions.

The meeting where the fate of Bello was decided started around 12noon at the Etsu Nupe's palace in Bida, with the Acting Chief Imam of Bida, Mallam Adamu Yakatu, reading out the relevant part of the scripture and other stipulations regarding marriage to the 84 years old man.

Yakatu, who made references to Bello 's interview as contained in the press both electronic and prints, said his offence included having 86 wives which he said is against Islamic tenets. He quoted several verses from the Quran to buttress the point, but Bello in his response said he had stopped reading the Quran and that he could recall any potion in the Holy Book that says one should not marry more than four wives, adding that he had read the Quran several times before he stopped.

He claimed 1972 was hit by a strange wind and as a result he became unconscious. He also said 20 years ago after meeting Allah he stopped reading the Holy Quran.

He denied ever saying he was a prophet but claimed that he had seen Prophet Muhammad. But when the Imam reminded him that the Holy Quran stated that no one can see Allah, he insisted that he had seen Allah.

After much argument, the Etsu Nupe made his pronouncement saying that "From the facts available to us, you are not a true Muslim and you are hereby given two days to divorce 82 wives from your 86 wives and if you fail to do so, we cannot guarantee your safety in Bida and the entire Nupe kingdom and as such you should pack your load and leave."

The Etsu Nupe said he was convinced Bello has mental problem and advised that he should see a psychiatric. Bello, in his response sought for two weeks against two days pronouncement by the emir for him to ponder over the ultimatum.

According to him, "to reduce the number of wives needed a lot of negotiations and one had to think of the children and what becomes of them".

The Etsu Nupe in his response said the Sharia Commission in the state would take care of the 82 women divorced while the social welfare department would take care of the children.

Etsu Nupe declined Bello's request for two weeks. He also said he did not agree the man hailed from Bida, adding that every available evidence to the emirate council reflected that the man came from Lokoja not Bida.