Polygamy: I have hurt sensibilities and hereby apologize to my Egba kinsmen- Segun Odegbami

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  • Photo: Odegbami *

RE: I’ve no scandals, polygamy is part of Egbaman’s life’ – By Olusegun Patrick Odegbami


In the past 12 hours I have received lots of calls and messages from far and near on an interview I granted The Nation newspaper some two weeks ago, a feature on the new radio station I am establishing in Abeokuta. 

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The story was featured in Saturday’s edition of the newspaper with a screaming headline and an aspect of the reports that create and give a very erroneous, misleading and negative impression of the true state of affairs in my life. 

The headline, for example, quotes me as saying: ‘I’ve no scandals, polygamy is part of Egbaman’s life’. 

This is completely wrong and gives the impression that because I am an Egbaman, I am a polygamist. 

Into the report, it also recalls a period when my father was alive almost 30 years ago when I had a discussion with him on how I was living in Nigeria alone when my ex-wife and family were living abroad. 

He suggested it was not healthy and that I should either join them abroad, make them return, or marry another wife. 
It was his practical suggestion, what his Egba people would have done, he jokingly told me. Instead of following his counsel I got divorced. 

I just referenced that chat in the interview and it was not intended to mean that I embraced polygamy personally, or that I am a polygamist, or that all egba men are polygamists.

The newspaper headline has inadvertently created a disturbing reaction, particularly by members of my family and my Egba people. 

To put the records straight:

I am not a polygamist. 

I don’t practise it.

I have nothing against those that do.

I am a monogamist.  

I am writing this to clarify the wrong impressions created by the headlines as well as a portion of the story. 
I have hurt sensibilities and sincerely apologise to my family and to my Egba kinsmen for this unfortunate and erroneous misrepresentation. 

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