1.1 Introduction
Polygamy therefore is a kind of marriage that permits a person to have more than one husband or wife. There is different type of polygamy, but the researcher is narrowing his finding to two striking, Examples polygamy and polyandry. Polygamy is a process whereby or which permits a man marry more than one woman or wife, while polyandry has to do with a woman, who married to more than one man or husband. This is practiced mostly in Tibet.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Family according to encyclopedia America is a core group of persons related by birth, marriage or other names (such as adoption) who commonly reside in the same household. The family is both subset of an individual’s total kinship network and a key unity of the household or domestic economy. Although family composition and structure vary greatly from culture to culture in general. Furthermore, families have existed in all societies and in all periods of human history family is equally a powerful symbol of social cohesion and morally a kind of micro of community and society. When anthropologist and sociologist speaks of the family they may be referring to married parents and children or to a broader kinship units social scientists have postulated that in all societies the family is to perform a set of basic functions. a basic function may be considered any activity imperative for the continuing existence of the society. The organization of an individual is defined as a role and Is conceptualized around a specific function such as raising of children.
Moreover, each role implies a reciprocal role for example the sexual functions of marriage reside both in the husband’s role. According to J.B Chitamber (1972) family is the basic social institution of an organized relationship involving workable and dependable person by ties of marriage by blood, adoption, common consent and characterized by common residence and economic co-operation. Dr Martin Herbert (1975) on his own part states that all known societies the family is the most recognized unit which resumes the function of child bearing perpetuation of the family and human rules, socialization provision of economic man tenancy and live hood, love, affection and security. According to Bas Dean (1977) there are many types of family units of which monogamous and polygamous family units are inclusive.
The monogamous family unit is common in advance countries and hence it is commonly referred to us the Western type of family. It is mostly praised by some educated people, those who are religious ethnic’s permits only monogamous marriage and those legally married in the law court.
The effect of this marriage on the girl child is what the researcher is basing his research. This type of marriage is prevalent in Nigeria particularly, Oredo local government area of Edo state. Traditionally, it is practiced because of the prestige it accord a man, in the society in which he lives Religiously; most religion encouraged the practice of marrying more than one wife for example in Islam you are expected to marry as many wife as you wish, depending on your purchasing power. Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effects of Polygamous Marriage on Christian Families.
1.3 Statement of Problems
In every societies of the world there are some specific structure designated to meet the immediate need of the society consequent upon this is Oredo settlement she has a robust nature of socialization which clearly defines the role of both sexes (male and female). Over the years position of women in Nigeria societies, especially in Oredo, has not be given a serious concern.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to investigate the Effects of Polygamous Marriage on Christian Families. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify the consequences of polygamous family unit on the Christian in Oredo Local Government Area.
- To highlight the factors which gave rise to polygamous family unit, to offer suggestion that will bring about lasting solution to this menace.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Do you think educated parent will indulge themselves in polygamous marriage?
- Why do men involve in polygamous marriage?
- What are the effects of this type of marriage on the Christian?
- How will people avoid the negative effect posed by such marriage?
- What happens to such family when the man dies?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H0: There are no significant consequences of polygamous family unit on the Christian in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State.
- H1: There are significant consequences of polygamous family unit on the Christian in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State.
1.7 Significance of Study
The knowledge of the study will be of immense benefit to the following: the married women because they are majority involved in this type of marriage the opinion of the Christian about the issue of polygamous family unit in Oredo local government area of Edo state the findings of the research will be carefully analyzed and interpreted through the data collected and solution will be provided to a given problems.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of this research is focused on the Effects of Polygamous Marriage on Christian Families using Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
