Mallam Bello: The Remarkable Story of a Nupe Man with 130 Wives, 200 Children, who died at 93

Mallam Bello: The Remarkable Story of a Nupe Man with 130 Wives, 200 Children, who died at 93

For years, Mallam Mohammed Bello Abubakar, popularly known as Man Bello, remained one of Nigeria’s most controversial religious figures, attracting national and international attention over his unexpected number of marriages.

Blood of Bida, Niger State, Abubakar was described as a teacher, Islamic preacher and traditional healer. By 2008, he had 86 wives and had become the subject of a major public controversy after Islamic authorities questioned the legality of his marriages.

The controversy escalated when the traditional authorities in Bida reportedly ordered him to divorce 82 of his wives out of 84 or leave the area. Abubakar refused, maintaining that his marriages were sanctioned by God. He was subsequently arrested and faced proceedings under Islamic law. Reports at the time said he was threatened with death, while a magistrate granted him protective bail because of concerns for his safety.

Abubakar also challenged the proceedings in the Federal High Court. In November 2008, the court ordered his unconditional release, ruling that the authorities had failed to establish sufficient grounds for his continued detention. His case became a notable confrontation between Nigeria’s secular legal system and the application of Islamic law in parts of the country.

During interviews with the BBC and Al Jazeera, Abubakar insisted that he did not force or go looking for women to marry. According to him, women came to him seeking help for various medical conditions, and he considered his subsequent marriages to be a divine instruction. Some of his wives also defended him publicly, describing him as a caring husband and father.

His unusual family structure continued to attract controversy. Reports also raised questions about his approach to modern medicine and how he supported such a large household. His supporters, however, maintained that he was a religious man whose unusual lifestyle was based on his personal beliefs.

By the time of his death, reports differed slightly over the exact number of wives he had. While he had 86 wives when he became widely known in 2008, Nigerian media reports later put the number at about 130. Reports also said he left behind more than 200 children, with some of his wives reportedly pregnant at the time of his death.

Baba Masaba died at his hometown in Bida on January 28, 2017, his 93rd birthday, after a brief illness. He was buried the following day in Bida, with a large crowd attending the funeral prayers. Representatives of the Nupe traditional institution, religious leaders, politicians and members of the community were among those present.

Before his death, those close to him said he had spoken about his time coming to an end. His life, however, remained a subject of debate long after his death — particularly over his interpretation of religion, his marriages and the unusual family he left behind.

Baba Masaba’s story remains one of the most extraordinary chapters in the history of religious controversy and polygamy in Nigeria: a man who claimed his marriages were a divine calling, while Islamic authorities and sections of the public strongly disputed his interpretation.