Photo: Joke with others at the training
FROM OBSERVATIONS, I doubt seriously if many of us in Nigeria know that population control is seriously needed if Nigerian’s are to leave sustainably . Everyone shouts, condemns and looks up to the government, who all may not know as much as we all do, that the responsibilities lie at our respective door steps.
Two Fridays ago, on July 21st to be precise, we were converged on Action Health Premises in Fadeyi Lagos, at the instance of Development Communications Network (DEVCOMS), where I was made to train on the "Involvement of Media In Controlling Population Explosion.
Well, that's not the overall focus now. I shall revert to that but at a much latter time. But it was at that session that I realized within me that of a truth, I have a responsibility to be concerned about what becomes of my world, my nation, my state, my community and my immediate environment.
Imagine this! A Lagos State government official we both co-trained informed us that in my state of residence alone, Lagos, the authorities had averted 189,800 unsafe abortions and maternal deaths through family planning. The implication, if that had not been done, was that my state alone would have increased by that number.
This reality stuck and brings home the fact that our world could be sitting on a gun powder, waiting to explode and they will call it population explosion. Again, that is a focus for the latter times.
Our immediate concerns is what I want to focus on at the moment. As of today, lots of factors have been ascribed to work simultaneously to inhibit population control in Nigeria. But what are these factors if we all care to ask...?
The online dictionary, Wikipedia, says: "The growth of a population may be limited by environmental factors such as food supply or deprivation while the main biotic factors that affect population growth include: Food -both the quantity and the quality of food are important.
However the question remains: where is population control needed most in Nigeria and what might inhibit its success?
Authorities on population posit that the following factors, amongst many are generally considered to be the most important:
High infant mortality: i.e. Perceived need to have many babies in expectation that some will survive to work and support aged parents etc...
Male-child preference: i.e. Where certain cultures value male children than females for a variety of reasons which often leads to the continuous child birth in an attempt to have male children where the woman had been giving birth to only female children.
Old-age social security: Several tribes and culture believe that children are the only form of support for them in their older lives.
Faith Trend/Religion: The Christian faith prohibits every form of contraception and remain anti-abortion while large families, polygamy and early marriages are promoted by the Muslims.
Lack of education: In relation to population education, sex education and the lowering of infant mortality and birth rates. This needs boost.
Demographic data: What will the population of Nigeria in the face of a population growth rate of 2.56-percent and contributing 4-percent of the world’s yearly population? This becomes salient when put aside the prediction of environmental scientists that the world’s population will be between 10 and 20 billion, in which case, at present growth rate of 1.4-percent, the entire world will reach a carrying capacity within the next 50-100 years.
So, What is to be Done?
It is yours and my responsibility to get our leaders to understand that there is a major problem in the offing -the population is blowing up. We need to get them to know that if our population continues to go up, the problem will not be solved by mere family planning. Rather, it will lead to colossal numbers in the death rates.
We need to let every young couple know that they don't have to have four children lest we experience a collapse of civilization and the death of nearly 7 billion people.
It's actually time to begin to draw the line!
By the way, my name is
Joke Kujenya (Ms.)
Editor, Population Journalism
Investigative Journalist, Social Media Enthusiast, Mentor, Trainer & Blogger
Media Mentors News AgencyPower Reporter of The Year, 2013
Staff of The Month, August 2013, The Nation
