Submitted By: Kifayah Abdul-Quadri

He is my neighbour
Mr. Lagbaja
He has one beautiful wife
And so many concubines
Some spice to the food, he calls them.
I'm the quiet man next door
Whose family unfortunately isn't
Being a polygamous one.
Mr. Lagbaja feels sorry
"How on earth do you cope?"
" You know I love children"
"Your wife and kids?"
"Ah, they are alright. My wife's off to the market.
Women! She asked if I was having an affair.
Guts! I'm sure she has gone to the market to see her man friend.
She comes back with more than the money I have given her".
The same story I hear everyday but he insists,
"I'm not complaining and do not care what she does with her life."
"But is this holy matrimony?"
"Oh, come off that holier-than-thou attitude
It is because you have more than one wife"
"Well, I still eat my cake and have it".

The other day he came home tipsy.
"What is life without a bottle of wine"
"There is wisdom in the choice to be sane".
So life to him practically has no meaning.
"Life after all is short; have fun while it lasts".
And if he can go scot-free why can't the others.
And so he says a big NO to the Islamic Law.
"It is uncalled for, barbaric and unheard of;
An adulterer stoned to death. It is repugnant to
Natural justice, equity and good conscience".
What sort of conscience?
If a group of people do the same thing,
Believe in the same thing,
They are of course united in the same conscience.

© Kifayah Abdul-Quadri, 2003