Photo credit: Nairaland
Some people are saying Nigeria is overpopulated. In fact, some are even saying the current population of Nigeria might double itself in a few years time.
The proponents of this view are saying Nigeria is overpopulated. They say if Nigerians fail to embrace family planning soonest, the facilities in the country will hardly go round.
In the first instance, how many facilities are working?
In those days of our forefathers, their society was agrarian. As a result, children were needed to assist their parents on the farm. In fact, preference was given to male children because of the belief that males are much more powerful than females.
When a pregnant woman put to bed, the first question was, boy or girl? If a woman had been having, say, three females in succession, the husband’s family would not be pleased. They would rather have males that could as soon as possible be useful on the farms.
It was also believed that males would be able to continue the lineage since females would be married off. Males would bear their father’s names and be carrying on the traditions of their families.
However, modern time and its peculiar characteristics has more or less put a stop to that sexist culture.
Our society, is no longer agrarian. Even though nobody can do without food, the emphasis is now on mechanized farming. A tractor could do the jobs of thousands of men.
We have now discovered, that there is no logical need for the preference of male children.Especially when all the jobs are not gender specific.
Like I wrote earlier, the demands of modern life has made it compulsory for us to have smaller families. Only a few families still indulge in making a lot of babies.
The Nigerian population could actually be a plus. For instance, whatever product is brought into the country that appeals to most people sells at record time. What I believe is wrong with us is distribution of population.
Only the state capitals and possibly the local government headquarters are densely populated. The fact is that all the conveniences of life are concentrated in these cities.
Once they finish their education, graduates feel the villages have no use for them again. They therefore pack their loads and off to these cities they go.
Let us look at a situation where agricultural estates and cottage industries are set up in the villages. When they are set up, and every facility that is in the cities is also in the villages, it is my belief that only a few will be busy roaming the streets doing nothing.
What I’m saying is that population distribution is more of our problems than overpopulation. If we can get this done, it will benefit our society in so many ways.
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