Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, has taken on critics of his decision to have his four wives in sitting chamber of the House, when he was sworn in after winning rerun election to represent his constituency.
“I’m not only disappointed, I’m disenchanted by the kind of reactions I received especially on social media on the day of my swearing in, simply because I brought my four wives with me on the floor of the House of Representatives. And I told the House that these people, these women are here to respect the institution of the House of Representatives.
“These are my legitimate wives, everybody know them, starting from Abuja down to my village. And I’m a Muslim, not only a Muslim, I’m a proud Muslim, a practising Muslim. And the most fundamental pillar of every faithful person in Islam is what they said prophet Muhammad should be your watchword, the prophet should be your role model. Every proud Muslim places prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as his role model. In actions and in thoughts. So as a proud Muslim, marrying four wives is in all ramifications copying the practice of Muhammad (peace be upon him)”, Doguwa stated in a reaction over the weekend.
Making specific reference to a column in one of the national dailies, the lawmaker described as “unprofessional”, the columnist’s decision to attack him on an issue of his private life as well as his personality. “I’m allowed by my religion to marry 4 wives, I’m allowed by my religion to marry and generate, to produce and reproduce. Let me even tell you, Muhammad (peace be upon him), in one of his authentic Hadith (prophetic sayings) once said and I quote: ‘O you who believe, believers in Allah, and those who believe in me’, says the prophet, ‘marry and generate. Go and marry and generate’, which means you can marry as many as the law permits….”
He argued that his ability to have the four wives at a function with him without any rancour was a demonstration that he was a responsible husband, adding that it was surprising therefore that It has become an issue “that can now be subject of ridicule, subject of reactions, write ups in pages of papers, and unfortunately sometimes by Muslims. I have to be very particular about a lady called Fatima Abubakar who wrote an analysis on the back page of Daily Trust.”
Doguwa who represents the Tudun Wada/Doguwa Fedeal Constituency of Kano State said the writer went as far as “making references to my name, attacking my personality, attacking my family…., but that “If she’s really a Muslim, I should not be a subject of ridicule simply because I took the challenge of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).”
He said “What I did on the floor of he House, for me, was an act of pride. For my four wives, it was an act of pride, and all of them went home very happy. It’s because I have control over them. I’m not a soldier, I’m a democrat, and for me to bring together my four wives to the floor of the House and they all played along with me in peace, that goes to confirm to you that I’m a reliable husband. I’m a just husband.”
