A productive population is an asset to a nation. A country with robust economic policies needs patriotic citizens to help implement such policies. When this is properly managed, the country would want to grow more in population and be more prosperous. On the other hand, if the population is unproductive, it becomes a burden to the nation. Unfortunately, the latter is the reality in Nigeria.
Nigeria, as a country, was serious with agriculture decades ago. During that era, an increase in family size translated to more fortune. Children helped their parents on the farm. Having more of them would lead to the expansion of farms. The agricultural drive of Nigerians nosedived when petroleum was discovered. It offered the government a quick source of income. All attention was on petroleum while agricultural advancement became a mirage. In those days, farmers might have a valid point for opting for a large family. That point can't be tenable today.
In the world today, the role of early childhood education can't be overemphasized. It is the right of the child to get an education but, unfortunately, that right has been abused by many parents. The physiological needs of the child like food, healthcare, shelter and clothing shouldn't be something that the parents would fail to provide.
In Nigeria, everyone is left to give birth to whatever number of children that he or she wants. Some people abused this. They give birth indiscriminately without thinking of the resources that they would use to take care of them. Right from time, as far as I can remember, the topic of birth control has remained a controversial one. Some people's beliefs regarding this topic are tied around religion. They believe that children came from God and that humans should not intentionally prevent them from coming. To them, God will provide what the child will eat. They forget that God gave us the brain to think of a solution to our problems. One such solution to overpopulation is birth control.
I once encountered a man who was into petty trading. When I discussed with him about his family, he told me that he had three wives back in the village and that he was planning to marry the fourth wife. For his business, it was obvious that he couldn't properly take care of a wife and two kids. But to my utter dismay, he was having three wives and eight children already and was planning to marry the fourth. I nearly wept at the hardship that the man was unleashing on innocent children.
It pains my heart when I see children roaming the street with nowhere to go. No education. No future. I see these children every day. They hold their plates, moving from house to house to beg for food. When you ask of their parents, they would tell you that their parents are in another town, hundreds of kilometers away.
The parents are in the inner room, preparing the ground for the coming of another child while the ones they already have are roaming the street in search of survival. This reminds me of a question by the legendary reggae artist, Lucky Dube from his song titled "Children in the Street."
"Why do they suffer so much
If they have parents, why?"
This same question asked by Lucky Dube is always asked by me. If these children have parents, why do they suffer so much?
Moving forward, I think it's high time the government intervened. There are two possible ways, in my opinion, to address the problem.
A law should be enacted to put a cap on the number of children that couples can have. Couples should only give birth to the number of children that they can care for.
If some people frown at such a law because of their religion or any other belief, the government should shift its interest to holding every parent responsible for the child he or she brings into this world. The parent of any child roaming the street should be arrested and prosecuted. No belief denies that every child deserves care and love. This is their fundamental right and it should be declared as such. Any parent denying the children such a right should be held responsible. If this is done, no one would force parents to give birth to the number of kids that they can care for, or else they get into trouble with the state.
With this, the well-being of the children would be better guaranteed in society.