Contrary to what many would have you believe, there's nothing that says a wife and her African mother-in-law cannot be great friends.

Women who have found the satisfaction and peace of mind that comes with this beautiful friendship will tell you how rewarding it is to have your mother-in-law on your side, to be cool with them to the point of being considered a daughter and friend.

So instead of hoping to usurp your sweetheart’s mother’s place in his life, it makes a lot more sense to be friends with her and below are seven reasons why:

1. You can’t replace her

You also cannot wish her away. So the best thing to do is to make the best of the situation and with all genuineness, try to be on great terms with her because, in all fairness, we can’t deny that some mothers-in-law aren’t particularly saints, too.

Even at that, you could try to turn her son’s back on her but that would, more often than not, backfire spectacularly. And even if it doesn’t, is that the kind of person you’d rather be? Is that the kind of thing you’d wish your future daughter-in-law do to you?

2. You need her on your side

Your mother-in-law on your side takes a lot of worries off your chest and as crazy as this may sound, makes your romantic relationship with her son a lot better than if she’s against you.

3. Your husband would love you more

Because men always favour peace of mind over all other things, it would make your man very happy if his mum and you are on very good terms as opposed to having to pick sides and squash squabbles low key resentment all the time.

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4. You both want the same thing

In essence, as a wife and mother-in-law, you are both guided by the same things - love and best wishes for the same man. So it does not make sense to be on opposing sides if you can help it.

5. For your relationship support system

In every romantic relationship, a couple would always need support systems; a number of people to whom they could go for advice and assistance when their relationship issues get a little out of hand and communication seems to not be doing the job.

It’d be fantastic to have your man’s parents, mum especially mum, in this group. Men always love their mums a lot and she could invoke that motherly love to help you call him to order sometimes.

No need to see this as a competition of who has more power or control over him. Mother and wife have distinct special places in a man’s life.

6. It’s the logical thing to do

There’s nowhere in the world where it makes sense to pick fights, to openly or secretly disdain your man’s mum.

7. Karma

We’re big on Karma in these parts and no matter how enlightened or woke the society may be getting, it is still believed that you reap only the things you sow.

So, being great with your mother in law is like a foundation for having the best wife and mother-in-law relationship with your son’s woman when the time comes.