This is common with politicians. No sooner do they get elected, than they marry a second wife or get a hotter mistress to show up with at social events. This was exemplified in Chinua Achebe’s A Man of the People.
2. That woman is not beautiful enough
Some wives are never beautiful enough in the eyes of their men. “You are embarrassed to walk around with her. Your peers will judge you harshly, so you spare yourself the trouble,” says Kenneth Musungu who works at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
“When you don’t have confidence in her, you just leave her at home to avoid any embarrassment,” he adds.
3. The woman is too beautiful
The woman could be too beautiful for an insecure hubby and who fears ‘competition’ from other men or the attention the wife is likely to attract. “Perhaps he feels that his wife is too pretty and might get a lot of attention from his friends. A man is jealous by nature,” says Derek Bbanga, an image consultant.
4. Hanging in there
“Sometimes it happens that you married her for love or you were probably just infatuated with her. Now you have a change of heart,” says Jared Mulei, a middle-aged photojournalist. “So rather than kick her out, you sympathise with her and let her stay. After all, she is the mother of your kids.” According to Mulei, “If she is say 42, and has three children, she may not have a place to go. So you let her stay for the sake of children.”
5. You married too early
A man could have married too early before exploring life’s pleasures. He then starts seeing flaws in the wife which leads to resentment.
6. Where will I take this ‘lorry?’
Most men would be uncomfortable tagging along with their wives if in their opinion the woman is overweight or too skinny.
7. Drama queens
Men can stand all forms of embarrassment, including vomiting and pissing on themselves at parties, but a drama queen is a no-no. She is the type of woman who would start World War III at the slight suspicion that another woman could be giving you the eye. And woe unto you poor man, should you dare to chat another woman, any woman. To avoid this embarrassment and being ribbed by his peers as one who is henpecked, the drama queen will never be seen in public with Baba Boi.
8. Age difference
We all know the politics of age when it comes to marriage. The wider the gap, the more it gets during introductions. If the wife is too old, the union is socially frowned upon, particularly if it is too discernible. If she is too young, again, the man risks being judged. So, the safer bet is to always leave the granny- or baby-faced wifey at home.
9. She nags
Even the Holy Book weeps for the man who ends up with a whining a woman. Worse is a woman who nags everywhere even in the presence of man’s guests and relatives. A woman who cannot control herself in the presence of guests will surely kill a man’s reputation. These anti-social, cold and snooty women should not be surprised if their public company is not needed by the man.
10. Once a cheater, always a cheater
If the man has a womanising trait, and even his close friends cannot keep up with his women, he will always go solo. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you are enjoying dinner with the woman of the house, and then some bimbo or former flame walks over to plant a kiss on your unfaithful cheek!
