Why “men who marry many wives live longer than those with just one” – 91-Year-Old Man Declares

A ninety-one-year-old elder statesman, in Yakasai town of Kano State, Tanko Yakasai, has declared that men with two or more wives live longer than those with only one woman in their lives.

While speaking in an exclusive interview with PUNCH Newspaper, Yakasai, who has many wives, 19 surviving children and 88 grandchildren, believes marrying one wife is monopoly that reduces life expectancy.

Here are excerpts from the chat;

You have many wives and children. Many believe polygamy can reduce life expectancy. What did you do differently?

Those who believe that polygamy reduces life expectancy are wrong! They are not speaking from experience. Many factors influence life expectancy.

In some countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, etc, there is the problem of poverty and illiteracy. Because of that, people are not able to take care of their children well.

I read an article on WhatsApp written by an expert. The article notes that those who practise polygamy live longer than those who practise monogamy. I agree.

How do you manage rivalry among your wives?

This is our culture. It depends on who they are. Sometimes, they manage to live together peacefully but sometimes, they quarrel among themselves.

From my experience, what often leads to such a quarrel is the inability or refusal of the younger ones to submit to the leadership of the older ones.

But in some cases, they live peacefully with one another, such that you would not believe that they are married to the same husband.

Do you drink?

Alcohol? No, I only drink water and soft drinks from time to time but certainly not alcohol.

What are the lifestyle choices responsible for your good life?

This is basically from our genes. My grandfather died at the age of 105. My father died at the age of 96, while my mother died at the age of 87.

Longevity is peculiar to our family. I still have well over 500 relations apart from my grandchildren.
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You were raised by your mother’s friend, Yaya Boyi. Tell us about the experience.

Yaya Boyi became a friend to my mother because they got married at about the same time to common friends. She was a bit older than my father. Therefore, my mother had to respect her and decided to call her Yaya, which means aunty or elder sister. She was not fortunate to have a child of her own.

The first daughter of my parents was given to her for posturing, which is a Hausa tradition (giving their child to their friend or relative). Unfortunately, my elder sister did not live long, as she died at the age of between one and a half and two years.

Thereafter, my parents were again blessed by having me. She requested that my parents should be kind enough to give me to her, as a replacement for my late sister. She looked after me up to the time I got married for the first time in 1945.

Are you fulfilled at 91?

I feel happy. I am grateful to my God for His mercies, good health and long life. I thank Him for giving me many children and grandchildren.

Today, I have 19 surviving children. They are all graduates. They are all independent. Also, they have their own children. I have 88 grandchildren and their parents take care of them. I am grateful to God for allowing me to have a fulfilled and satisfied life.