The megapolygamyst with his wives
By Deborah Akwa
Nigerian billionaire businessman Jim Brown has sparked a conversation among many Nigerians on social media after marrying his 19th wife, Erica, with all his other wives and dignitaries attending the marriage ceremony.
The growing family of the Delta-born billionaire and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GimBrown Marine Security Oil and Gas Limited, has raised big questions about culture, wealth, and polygamy in Nigeria today.
The development has elicited varied reactions from netizens, which ranged from shock to laughter and curiosity.
Brown is not the first wealthy Nigerian to have as many wives, but his story has reignited debate and conversations about polygamy in Africa’s biggest country.
While some Nigerians are of the opinion that marrying multiple wives is unacceptable and an excessive indulgence, others view it as an expression of cultural tradition.
It appears since Hilda Baci broke the Guinness longest cooking record two years ago and the most recent one of cooking the biggest pot of Nigerian-style jollof rice- some Nigerians have been infected with the ‘Guinness record-breaking’ fever.
Brown seems to have been infected and intends to build one of Nigeria’s largest family empires.
His lust for polygamy seems to be more than just marriage, but a billionaire’s legacy in the making.
Brown with his new wife
For centuries, men in the traditional and religious settings married multiple wives, which means polygamy isn’t an alien concept or unusual in many parts of Nigeria.
Royalties, dignitaries, and wealthy men often engage in marrying multiple wives, which is often seen as a symbol of influence, power, and legacy.
However, Brown’s case of marrying 19 wives (with each marriage celebrated publicly) is largely viewed as less a personal choice and more a deliberate building of a family legacy.
Additionally, with wealth and influence on his side, he may be following the same path as kings and traditional rulers in the past, expanding his family line, strengthening alliances, and securing loyalty.
Every woman the billionaire marries means more children, and more children means a wider family tree, more heirs to carry his name, and ultimately, more influence in business, politics, and society at large.
His other 18 wives attended his wedding to Erica, which suggests some level of unity, acceptance, and togetherness within the home.
Though critics argue that managing such a household might be chaotic, others believe that if the household is carefully structured with roles, responsibilities and rights equally shared among the wives, the home will thrive.
In line with this, Brown may not just be building a family; he may be building a small community of his own.
With 19 wives and still counting, he is not just making headlines; he may be creating one of Nigeria’s most popular and talked-about family empires to be recorded in Nigerian history.
In conclusion, whether you see it as tradition, power, or extravagance, one thing is certainly clear: Jim Brown’s story will continue to evoke conversations and debates about culture, wealth, and family in modern Nigeria.
But, here’s another lingering question from this curious writer: Will there be a 20th wife? Possible. For now, we’ll be watching and waiting with pen in hand to see how far the billionaire intends to take his empire.
