Families in Nigeria: Understanding Their Diversity, Adaptability, and Strengths: Volume 18

Family planning is one of the services that has positive influence on the social welfare and health of the mothers and directly contributes to reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality. Family planning is a major health issue in Africa and it has degenerated more into socioeconomic problems like poverty, overpopulation, delinquent children, and so on. Studies have shown that family planning is safe to use but this has remains obscure to most women in developing countries such as Nigeria. Fewer numbers of women have knowledge and access to family planning but majority of Nigerians failed to adopt the habit as a result of many factors such as education, age, culture, religion, income, and health status which influence their attitude toward family planning among others. Social Action Theory was used as the theoretical guide in examining the behavior, attitude, and perception of women toward family planning as well as to give a clear knowledge about the importance of family planning on individual, family, and society at large. This chapter reveals that population explosion, malnutrition, and diseases such as HIV (and other diseases) are trending in Nigeria. Hence, it was recommended that every health worker should engage more in community-based awareness and enlightenment on the utilization of family planning; also, there is a need to intensify information dissemination and educational campaigns through the media. Furthermore, importance should be placed on modern contraceptives.

Family is considered to be the corner stone of every society; it enhances its functionality and sustainability. However, the problem of spousal abuse has destroyed and disorganized many families in Nigeria, thereby hampering the stability of the basic institution. This study takes a look at spousal abuse as it affects the family stability as perceived in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Three research questions and a hypothesis guided the study. Descriptive research design was used, the population of the study consisted of 200 respondents. The study combines both qualitative and quantitative methods, which involves the use of questionnaire and focus group discussion (FGD) to collect data. The study selects 200 respondents and two FGD sessions of 10 participants each (married men and women). Data generated was analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation while the hypothesis was tested using linear regression. The results of the study revealed that wife/husband battering, insults/name calling, spousal rape/sexual deprivation, economic deprivation, and food deprivation constitutes spousal abuse in Lafia, Nasarawa State; destruction of platform necessary for good and healthy upbringing of the children among others are how the problems of spousal abuse affect family stability; there is a significant relationship between what constitutes spousal abuse and causes of spousal abuse in Lafia, Nasarawa State. It was recommended that more sensitization and education to end spousal abuse should be vigorously pursued; government and non-government organizations should create avenues where women are empowered and psychological centers for rehabilitation should be established.

The domestic division of labor and responsibilities for childcare continue to influence the circumstances under which women are brought into formal employment as work represents a key component of human life. However, given the common perception of appropriate roles for women, the demands for combining motherhood and marriage with paid employment become immense challenges for working mothers. To this end, this study examined family roles and official responsibilities among working mothers in some selected work organizations in Lagos, Nigeria. The sample of the study consisted of 106 married working mothers selected purposively from work organizations in Lagos metropolis. Questionnaire was designed to generate data while direct interview was conducted as a means of complimenting data derived from the main instrument. The data obtained were analyzed by the use of simple percentages; while chi-squared statistical tool was used to test hypotheses formulated for the study at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that there is no significant relationship between childcare responsibilities and promotion; and that family support for female work has significant relationship with perceived home–work conflict among working mothers. Based on the findings, it was recommended that government, private employers and policy-makers should endeavors to make the nature of work more conducive for working mothers in order to easily combine the two domains of work and family.

This study investigated the influence of social media on marital stability of married adults in Ilorin metropolis. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Influence of Social Media on Marital Stability Questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information for this study. The instrument was validated and the test re-test method was employed to determine the reliability and it yielded a coefficient of 0.81. Multistage sampling procedure was used in selecting 200 respondents for the study. One research question was raised while four null hypotheses were postulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Percentage and weighted means were used to analyze the descriptive analysis while t-test and Analysis of Variance were used to test the postulated hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that social media influenced marital stability of married adults by causing marital distraction, negligence of marital roles and responsibilities, creating conflict among spouses, encouraging marital infidelity among others. There was no significant difference in the influence of social media on marital stability of married adults in Ilorin metropolis based on gender while there were significant differences in the influence of social media on marital stability of married adults in Ilorin metropolis based on length of years in marriage, age and highest educational attainment. It was therefore recommended that married people should reduce their exposure to social media but rather be more committed to their marital relationship.

This study investigates female labor force participation (FLFP) in Nigeria, over the period 1990–2020. It analyzes the effect of some poverty indices on FLFP, thereby contributing to the ongoing debate on female labor participation, particularly as it relates to household poverty and its alleviation. The study sources data from World Bank Data Bank and employs autoregressive distributive lags after confirming the stationarity of all variables of interest. While there is no long-run relationship among the variables of interest, the results from the short-run estimate show that one year lagged FLFP, fertility (family size), total unemployment and gender ratio in labor participation are poverty indices that positively influence female labor participation. On the other, female unemployment, male unemployment and GDP growth rate are negative determinants. However, female education and household income per capita as poverty indices are insignificant determinants of female labor participation for the period under study. These findings are important for government/policy-makers in Nigeria to develop a policy framework that can improve poverty in the country as well encourage FLFP in the country since their contributions have meaningful impact in alleviating household poverty and on the entire economy.

In Nigeria, family is most important. It is usually made up of people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption. Family plays a major role in influencing the use of psychoactive substances by adolescents and can help protect the adolescents or the reverse. Family differs in so many ways, for example, in the extent of support for education, children’s upbringing, monitoring peer activities among others. There are certain family situations where values are not being instilled, parental and social guides are not in place to ensure that children are well brought up. High levels of economic hardship (such as unemployment), family conflict, poor communication skills, domestic violence, parental divorce or single parenting, death, parental criminal activity among others disrupt parenting which reduces adolescents’ emotional security and reinforce the use of aggression and interpersonal hostility which in turn expose them to certain risks of psychoactive substance use. It is in this context that this chapter examines how family factors affect the use of psychoactive substances among adolescents in Nigeria. Empirical investigations were carried out through a review of literature search. The findings show family factors having a significant influence on the use of psychoactive substances among adolescents in Nigeria. In addition, proper parental relationship through training of moral values, teachings of the immense danger attributed to the use of psychoactive substances through counseling and communication skills could serve as a control measure that will discourage the future use and thus improve the health, safety and the general well-being of the adolescents.

Family, like other social institutions within society, has undergone changes that have impacted its structure, form, and dynamics over the years. This chapter, through an in-depth review of family and relationship literature, investigates the complexities, dynamics, and changes in the Nigerian family structure. These changes are argued to be influenced among other things by various cultural, social, political, and economic factors that have shaped the twenty-first century. As such, the contemporary Nigerian family structure has witnessed transformations such as an increase in single parenting, separation, divorce, baby-daddy and baby-mama arrangements, and the salient practice of homo-sexual relationships, among others. These changes have not only impacted family structures and formations but also have attendant consequences on relationship patterns in marriages, intimate relationships, and children’s socialization.

This study assessed the psychosocial factors of home conflict as predicators to the academic performance of young adults, using undergraduates in Babcock University, Ilishan, Remo, Ogun State. Descriptive survey research design was adopted, with a sample size of 387 respondents from different schools and faculties were randomly selected for the study. Findings indicated that home conflict affects the academic performance of young adults based on the psychosocial factors. The set null hypotheses were tested at 0.001 level of significance. The report reveals that the anxiety mean and SD is 14.8552 and 5.03982, respectively. For aggression and academic performance, it reveals that F = 54.788, df_42,321; p > 0.005. Hence, there is no significant difference. There is a significant difference between peer rejection and academic performance. It reveals that F = 94.418, df_42,321 p > 0.001. Hence, there is no significant difference. The study recommended that parents should be enlightened about having a stable home and how conflict in the home can affect the academic performance of a child. It also recommends the support of the government and educational sectors to help create awareness of the importance of a good family relationship.

This study investigated domestic violence as a result of marital infidelity; domestic violence occurs in virtually many home in society. Most times, women are sexually assaulted, emotionally abused, and physically violated. Although the degree differs from society to society. The occurrence has profound and destructive consequences in the home. The population of 150 respondents was selected randomly. Questionnaires were distributed among the subjects and simple percentage and chi-square were used to analyze the data. The results were that there is a relationship between marital satisfaction and domestic violence. Also, some men do not have genuine trust in their wives. The research was concluded that there is violence in the home as a result of negligence on the part of husbands. It was recommended that couples should have a thorough understanding of their partners to avoid issues that may trigger anger and thereby prevent wanton destruction of properties jointly owned.

This study examined the prevalence of domestic violence against men as viewed by literate married adults in Kwara State, Nigeria. Moderating variables of gender, length of marriage, and highest educational attainment were also examined for their influence on the respondents’ views. The study employed a descriptive survey method. A total of 386 literate married adults were selected through proportional and accidental sampling techniques. For the demographic data, percentage was employed while t-test and analysis of variance statistical tools were employed to test all the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. Results showed that domestic violence against men was prevalent in the form of wives issuing verbal threats to their husband 96.0%, starving their husbands of sex to serve as punishment 94.0%, starving their husbands of food to show their anger, 91.0%, calling their husbands all sorts of bad names among others. Also, there were significant differences in the prevalence of domestic violence against men as viewed by literate married adults in Kwara State based on gender and length of marriage. It is therefore concluded that as viewed by literate married adults in Kwara State, domestic violence against men is prevalent.

Sexual intimacy is one of the functions of marriage and married couples especially in Africa. Many marriages and by extension families in Nigeria and Ghana are unstable because of misunderstanding around intimacy style preference. The study investigated sexual intimacy style preference of married adults in West Africa, using a case study of Nigeria and Ghana. The research design adopted was a descriptive survey. A total sample of 324 respondents was sampled in the study using purposive sampling and random sampling techniques. A questionnaire title preferred sexual style inventory was used to gather data for the study. The instrument was validated by expert in the department of counseling education and its reliability was established using test re-test and a coefficient of 0.74 was derived. The result of the study revealed that most preferred sexual intimacy styles of married adult in Nigeria were traditional missionary style, doggy style and the cow girl/woman on top style. Also, the study revealed that married adults in Ghana preferred traditional missionary, cow girl, and doggy style. The study also revealed that there was a significant difference in the sexual intimacy style preference of married adults in Nigeria and Ghana. Based on the findings it is recommended that sociologists and marriage-family counselors should seek to develop awareness about most preferred intimacy styles among married and would be married people in Africa as a way of increasing marital stability and societal wellbeing in the continent.