Investigation of Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Management in Nigerian Polygamous Households in Kano State

Interpersonal communication dynamics in polygamous households are shaped by complex relationship structures, resource competition, and negotiated status hierarchies that create distinctive conflict management challenges. This study investigated communication patterns and conflict management strategies in polygamous households in Kano State, North West Nigeria. A qualitative exploratory design was adopted, combining in-depth interviews with 24 women in polygamous households across Kano Municipal and Dawakin Tofa LGAs with semi-structured interviews with eight Islamic family counsellors who mediate household disputes. Thematic analysis was applied to data from both sources. Results identified three primary communication patterns in polygamous households: role-based formal communication mediated through the husband, informal co-wife communication networks characterised by both cooperation and rivalry, and children-mediated communication used to relay sensitive messages between co-wives. Conflict triggers most commonly cited were resource allocation disputes (cited in 83.3 percent of households), perceived unequal husband time allocation (75.0 percent), and child-rearing disagreements (58.3 percent). Religious communication frameworks grounded in Islamic family guidance texts were the most commonly used formal conflict management resource. Social media, particularly private WhatsApp communications, had introduced new conflict dimensions related to privacy and husband monitoring. The study concludes that polygamous household communication in Kano is shaped by both traditional religious frameworks and emerging digital communication dynamics, recommending culturally sensitive communication mediation training for family counsellors in northern Nigerian contexts.

Keywords: interpersonal communication, conflict management, polygamous households, Kano State, Islamic family communication