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Why I love my polygamous family – Singer, Teni
Popular Nigerian singer Teniola Apata, professionally known as Teni, shared some nostalgic memories of her upbringing in a polygamous household. The ‘Uyo Meyo‘ crooner revealed that her father had three wives and a total of 10 children, including herself.
During an episode of the Zero Conditions Podcast, Teni expressed that she enjoyed her upbringing in a polygamous home and even preferred it to being raised in a monogamous household.
She thanked her father for maintaining peace within the family, highlighting the presence of her siblings as a source of safety and support, and ensuring that she did not endure harm.
Teni’s perspective on her polygamous upbringing provides insight into the diversity of family structures and experiences in different cultural contexts.
She said, “I grew up in a polygamous family with many people, so you can’t come and do rubbish. I received excellent care, a lot of love and protection. Three wives, 10 children. Huge respect to my bloodline! All of my siblings and I get along well, though there are levels of closeness.
“I don’t know any other way; it is boring. If I come back to this life again, I want to come back to the same family. How can I be in a house with one mother and one father, and then all of us will be sitting down; no chaos?
“There is love in my home, but we change it because the person wey born us dey craze sha. Do you know what it is to hear gunshots and go to where the gunshots came from? That’s not normal.”“It was like he (father) planned his future, and then he planned his death. So before he died, his wives knew about everything. He taught them everything; one of my mothers knows how to shoot. He taught them how to, and when he passed, they used the skill. That’s how our family is still able to remain intact even after my dad passed on.”