Family policies in Nigeria

Thèmes abordés

Family policies, Nigeria, Western country

Résumé du document

Nigeria is a thriving nation, one of the richest country in Africa, often nicknamed by its inhabitants "the giant of Africa". It is also a country victim of overpopulation, criminality, child labor, and many other problems such as slavery. The modern political state Nigeria was created with the merging of the Southern and Northern Nigerian protectorates of the British Empire . The country is therefore very new and a patchwork of many religions. It is composed of as many as 250 ethnic groups . Needless to say, it is a very interesting but complex country on many points.

The notion of family is very different from what an inhabitant of a "Western country" might be accustomed to. In Europe the word "family" often refers to the core family unit: mother, father and children. It is not common for several generations to be living under the same roof. Though people might have close ties with their relatives they rarely see each others on a daily basis. This is not the case in Nigeria where family ties are very strong and where extended families might often live together in very crowded and simple lodgings. Another big difference is polygamy. It is permitted and sometimes even encouraged in many parts of the country, but not everywhere, bringing great disparities in Family politics throughout the country. In fact, it is the entire legal system that is concerned. Several law system cohabit, that is, the "law" is not the same for everybody. This can mean life or death and a completely different way of life depending on where the person lives and which god he or she worships.

Extraits

[...] It can be very bloody. Flogging, stoning, cutting hands, ears, and noses are sadly common punishments for so-called sinners. All men in the North are allowed to be polygamous whether or not they are muslims. Men can have up to four wives whereas in the rest of the country, polygamy might be outlawed. Each wife has to take care of her own children and must take turn to feed and entertain a common husband. The women often help each other though but the first wife might enjoy more power. [...]

[...] Family policies in Nigeria Nigeria is a thriving nation, one of the richest country in Africa, often nicknamed by its inhabitants giant of Africa”. It is also a country victim of overpopulation, criminality, child labor, and many other problems such as slavery.The modern political state Nigeria was created with the merging of the Southern and Northern Nigerian protectorates of the British Empire[1]. The country is therefore very new and a patchwork of many religions. It is composed of as many as 250 ethnic groups[2]. [...]

[...] It is to be hoped that all citizens soon realize the importance of child education, gender equality and respect of basic human rights for the well being of all Nigerian families. Bibliography: CNN. Woman sentenced to stoning freed . Retrieved October 20th 2014 http//www.edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/09/25/nigeria.stoning.htm Country quest. The People of Nigeria, Way of Life. Retrieved October 21st 2014 http//www.countriesquest.com/africa/nigeria/the_people_of_nigeria/way_of_lif e.htm New York Times. Nigeria Tries to ‘Sanitize' Itself of Gays. Retrieved October 21st 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/world/africa/nigeria-uses-law-and-whip-to- sanitize-gays.html?_r=0 Wikipedia. Ethno-linguisticgroups in Nigeria. [...]

[...] Maintaining a family is still very difficult. Criminality is huge, the living conditions due to the lack of infrastructure make life complicated ( bad lodgings, lack of proper schools and healthcare facilities). Living in an African city of more than twenty millions is therefore an every day struggle for many parents and children, who have to earn a living from early childhood. Nigerians have had to face many years of civil unrest and war. Nigeria is a country with huge disparities where people put a lot of emphasis in defending their ethnic and religious ideas. [...]

[...] However, it is not seriously enforced yet. Child marriage is still very common and so are arranged or even forced marriages. Men can beat their wifes as long as they do not cause permanent injuries[3]. Women often give birth to many children, birth control being not widely available and accepted. The education of the children is a responsibility of the community, but sadly not for the women who might become pariahs for not respecting the common law or the Sharia law. [...]