A Nigerian man who has 97 wives has dismissed rumours of his death, saying he is “very much alive” - and ready to marry more women.
Mohammed Bello Abubakar is infamous in the African country for marrying over 100 women and having 185 children.
He has clashed with authorities in the past, with them describing his family as a “cult”. But he insists he is doing God’s work.
After media reports circulated saying that the 87-year-old had died after a brief illness, he told Nigeria’s Vanguard newspaper: “My dear, I am very much alive, hale and hearty.
“The rumour is baseless and can best be described as the work of my detractors because they envy what God has done and what He is still doing for me.
“What I am doing is divine. It is an assignment and I will keep doing it till the end,” he added.
The cleric is said to have married a total of 107 women, but has divorced 10 of them.
Mr Abubakar has come under fire because Sharia Law dictates a Muslim man can have up to four wives at a time.
But he has told journalists in the past that “God has asked me to do it”.
In 2012 there were other suggestions that he had died after which he said he was not finished marrying yet.
He said: “My large number of wives? I only have 97 wives. I am still going to marry more. I will keep marrying them for as long I am alive.
“Left for me, I would have married maybe two wives, but what I am doing is divine.
“I just want to advise those fighting against the number of my wives to stop because such people are waging war against God, their creator.”
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