’90 Day Fiancé’: Michael Explains Why He Doesn’t Want to Be Polygamous With Angela

The newly married 90 Day Fiancé stars Angela Deem and Michael Ilesanmi have been arguing about being able to “tote a baby” for what feels like forever. Michael, a 32-year-old from Nigeria, even admitted at one point that he was willing to consider taking on a concubine or second wife if 54-year-old Angela wasn’t able to bear a child.

But, on the recent 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After Tell-All, hosted by Shaun Robinson, Michael revealed exactly why he doesn’t actually want any wife besides his new bride, Angela.

Angela believed Michael was considering having a child with someone else

Naturally, the ubiquitous baby conversation came up during Part 3 of the 90 Day Fiancé Tell-All.

Angela’s daughter, Skyla Deem, made it crystal-clear yet again that she would never be willing to donate an egg or become a surrogate for her mother. She believed Angela and Michael’s plans were “all talk” and suggested that she didn’t think they’d ever have a baby at all.

Meanwhile, Michael reiterated the importance of having a child to his family and in Nigerian culture at large. If he couldn’t have a baby with Angela through egg donation or surrogacy, he suggested they might have a child “the other way.”

But before Michael could explain exactly what he meant, Angela flew off the handle, assuming he meant he would take on another wife or concubine.

“You’re not gonna sit there and screw another woman and think I’m gonna take care of that youngin’,” Angela screamed, as Michael and their castmates urged the grandmother of six to calm down.

“I didn’t say I’m gonna screw another woman!” Michael promised, exclaiming: “Of course not!”

But Angela wasn’t having it. “I know,” she retorted angrily. “If you do, you can take that penis, and you can take it and go.”

Michael revealed his late father was polygamous

Angela stormed off to vent in peace for a few moments, and Robinson took the opportunity to ask Michael what he’d really meant by his comment about having a baby “the other way.” The 90 Day Fiancé star clarified that he simply meant he would be willing to undergo IVF or adoption to have a child with his new wife.

While Michael might have only been referring to adoption or a medical fertility procedure like IUI or IVF, his Aunt Lydia – who was also featured on the Tell-All – had other ideas. Lydia reminded Angela that Michael’s family had only accepted her because she promised to try to have a baby. If she wasn’t able to, she wanted Michael to have a sexual relationship with another woman for the purpose of producing a child.

But, under the legal terms of Angela and Michael’s marriage, that doesn’t seem likely.

While polygamy is sometimes allowed in Michael’s culture, Michael and Angela agreed to a form of legal marriage in Nigeria that is completely monogamous – meaning it doesn’t allow men to take on other wives, concubines, or sexual partners, even if only to have a biological child in the event of infertility. Failure to adhere to this agreement could result in fines or even incarceration in Michael’s home country.  

Still, Robinson wanted to know if Michael had any experience with polygamy in his family.

“So, taking a second wife is allowed in your culture,” she said. “Do any of your family members have more than one wife?”

Michael’s aunt grinned knowingly in response, and Michael admitted somewhat sheepishly, “Yeah, my late dad had three wives.”

The ’90 Day Fiancé’ star said he wouldn’t ever want more wives

Given the practice of polygamy in Michael’s family, Robinson wondered if his relatives would “pressure” him into taking a second wife if Angela couldn’t have a baby.

But Michael was clear: He didn’t want any other wives.

The 90 Day Fiancé star exclaimed, “I’m not having two wives or whatever. It’s just one wife.”

Angela’s husband explained that he didn’t want to take on the responsibility – or the potential drama – of having multiple partners.

“To me, I see: One wife is one problem,” Michael mused as his castmates snickered at his less-than-rosy depiction of marriage. “Two wives is two problems, and so on. So it’s better just to stick to one.”

Michael explained further that he had learned about how difficult polygamy could be in practice, despite how positive it might sound in theory, through his own father’s challenges.

“I have experienced what it takes when you have multiple wives,” he said. “It’s not easy.”

Luckily for Angela – and Michael – it looks like the unlikely couple will be firmly monogamous, at least for now.