Posted by The PM News on
The 86th wife of the detained Alhaji Mohammed Masaba Bello, Monsurat Masaba Bello, who got married to the Minna mega-polygamist in Lagos, in February, this year, has cried out to the police to release her husband because she needs a baby now.
The 86th wife of the detained Alhaji Mohammed Masaba Bello, Monsurat Masaba Bello, who got married to the Minna mega-polygamist in Lagos, in February, this year, has cried out to the police to release her husband because she needs a baby now.
Monsurat, 30, who joined other wives to protest the continued detention of her husband in police custody in Minna, Niger State, on Wednesday, appealed to the police to release him so that she could have children for Masaba just like other wives.
The 86th wife, who confirmed that she got married to the polygamist at Apongbon, Lagos Island, said she hails from Lagos State.
'I am 30 years old. Baba and I wedded in February, at Lagos Island (Apongbon). I am from Lagos. 'I miss my husband very much and I feel miserable. I don't have a child for him like others. The police should leave my husband alone. I need him now to be with me. He is Allah's gift to me and I love him,' she told journalists.
On whether she would like to divorce Masaba Bello because of the Fatua (death penalty) placed on him by the Jamatul Nasril Islam organisation and persecution by the Etsu Nupe, Monsuratu retorted: 'God forbid. Why would I even think about something like that? I cannot do something like that.'
When told that Qur'an prescribes a maximum of four wives for a man and that it was not Islamic for a man to have up to 86 wives, Monsuratu said: 'But the holy Qur'an did not specify any punishment for marrying more than four wives. Did it? It is not in the Qur'an that anyone that marries more than four wives should be punished. If it is written, come and show me. Some people have four wives at home and keep more than 10 concubines outside. Is that not wrong? This man is taking care of us.'
Also speaking with P.M.News, the 84th wife of Masaba, Aminat, 24, explained what attracted her to the polygamist.
'I just love him. I love him so much,' she said excitedly. Aminat further said: 'I came here to visit my sister who was receiving treatment from Baba and he saw me and we fell in love with each other. He asked me to marry him and I agreed.'
Asked why she fell in love with an old man like Masaba, she said: 'He is very kind and successful and I want to be part of him.' Masaba Bello's 20th wife, Aishat, also has this to say about her husband: 'It was God that brought us together in Bida here. I heard about all the things he was doing, how he was helping people without asking for anything in return. So, I came to see him myself and fell in love with him. When he asked me to marry him, I gladly accepted. I was very impressed with tales of Baba's generosity.'
On what could have been responsible for Baba's current predicament, she stated: 'Some people here in Bida are after him. They are afraid of Baba's popularity. They see the large crowds that come to visit Baba, even from outside, and this worries many people. Baba has assisted so many people. He opens his door to everybody.'
Masaba, who has concluded plans to marry 10 more wives after the ramadan, was arrested by the Niger State Police Command, following an interview which he granted to a news medium during which he revealed that he had 86 wives and 170 children. The Council of Ulamas, a group of Muslim preachers, berated Masaba for violating the Islamic law of marriage which recommends a maximum of four wives to a faithful.
Following the controversy generated by this revelation, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yaya Abubakar, in conjunction with the Bida Emirate Council, ordered Bello Masaba to divorce 82 of the 86 wives in compliance with the Islamic law.
But Bello Masaba refused to obey the order. He was arrested and taken before the Upper Sharia Court in Minna and charged with unlawful marriages, disobedience to constituted authority and inciting religious disturbances. He was denied bail and remanded in police custody. He is still facing prosecution.