ABSTRACT
A Man's desire to be head of a polygynous household arises, as in other societies, from a number of motives. Among men in general two of the most important motives for polygynous marriages are the desire to beget many children, sons in particular, and an attempt to increase domestic security. When polygynous marriage takes place in order to gain status the husband is often a young man who has more cattle than his age-fellows—usually an only son whose father has died. The incidence of polygyny is relatively high because men marry at a later age than women and, also, to a lesser extent, because a proportion of the young men of Gwandu Emirate spend a number of years abroad. There are reasons to believe that the incidence of polygynous marriage and of divorce has increased.
