Northern Nigeria and the Birth Control Policy -By Ali Tijjani Hassan

As earlier of this week, the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, said his administration will soon introduced the law that would govern the new birth control policy. This law is expected to put a stop on the menace of over-birthing. What come across my mind upon coming across that news was, In Northern Nigeria, where Hausa-speaking community that mistakes the gift of children as a repercussion of sexual pleasure instead of it ideals position of attentive responsibility, how would they view this decision?

Giving birth to children from a sensible eyes, would never be regarded as crime ever. But, the problem is that, “who will be born and by who” ? As we all know, the correlation between rich and poor can never be bridges. Therefore, no one can boldly says the poorest of the town should give birth to the same number of children which richest of their town could give. Because, giving birth is all about responsibilities,but shouldering the responsibility is the missed element in northern community.

One can easily encode this by mere taken a look into the day-to-day’s marital cases, where there’s a case of sheer negligence in every corner and angles is portrayed.

It’s actually something to be worried about, for the situation being pathetic that this happen only in the North, where a low-class individuals can marry three to four wives and keep them in a separate rented house. He is so careless to impregnate all of them in just a month without thinking about how taken the responsibilities of those children which his wives are to deliver would be. He doesn’t care if they would put to bed in the same month or a year, not to think of Him to provide to them a nutritional diet to recover and compensate the lost during labor. An initio, he was reckless to provide a shelter and even a convulsive environment for them to rest. He might not care about their education. Alas, he might impregnate them in the next coming year.

The incalculably born children are becoming “toxic” to the community. Yes! I regard them as toxic, because toxic may be everything taking higher than it needs, so even water that life completely depends on, if higher than needed is taken, it may results to water intoxication.

When they got spoiled in between the age of seven to ten, he will be left with no option than to send them the to Almajiranci, in order to extricate the fatherly responsibility. They’ll be sent far without a proper resilience on their character or its revitalization. These Almajirai are susceptible to any guilt, cruel and illegal act because no one care about them.

Some unforeseeable individuals are saying the huge number of population is the backbone of the economy of the country. Yes it aid, but if judiciously utilized by making it productive. Unlike the unfortunate we have.

What’s the important of a population that are uneducated? What’s the important of population that are poor and unhealthy?
(Apology to 14th Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sunusi ll)

I hope this law of Birth Control Policy, would put a general overhaul in additional marriage of those that that are not capable to handle and satisfy the need of more than a wife would not take additional wife.

By this law, we hope that we can one day can eradicate the life tormenting disasters such as: poverty, hunger, illetracy and disease communication in Nigeria.
Uncontrolled birth is indeed a threat to peace and national security.

Ali Tijjani Hassan, write from Potiskum.