Re: President Muhammadu Seeks Measures to Address High Fertility Rate -By Nuhu Agwom

– Lower fertility through encouragement and practice of monogamy and family planning —Adesanya-Davies

– Federal Government should take responsibility for FREE Education of every first 3 children to encourage population control –Adesanya-Davies

As President Muhammadu Buhari makes moves and take measures to address the high fertility rates in the country, a frontline presidential aspirant, the only Amazon in the 2023 Presidential race on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and an academic and technocrat, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies lauds and supports Muhammadu Buhari on the moves and measures to address this high fertility rate, as he launches the revised population policy, she says it’s a very welcome development.

Adesanya-Davies also encourages all Nigerians to mobilize their support for the President on this matter, says the population rise is not only disheartingly alarming but embarrassingly unbecoming and should be the concern of all.

President Muhammadu Buhari on February 4, 2022 in a report by Johnbosco Agbakwuru in Vanguard seeks measures to address high fertility rate, and launches revised population policy. In Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday stressed the need for urgent measures to address Nigeria’s high fertility rate, through expanding access to modern contraceptive methods across the country. Adesanya-Davies affirms the that, “It’s a notable and lauderdale Yoruba saying, “Omo beere osi beere” – plenty children, plenty poverty.”

Buhari spoke at the launch of the Revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development, inaugurated the National Council on Population Management, NCPM, chaired by him, and the Vice President as the deputy chairman, with heads of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, as members.

On the country’s revised population policy, he said its overall goal was to improve the quality of life and standards of living of all Nigerians, which remained one of the major aspirations of his government. The President said: “The policy emphasizes the urgency to address Nigeria’s sustained high fertility rate, through expanding access to modern family planning, counselling and commodities as well as promote births spacing.

“This will enable Nigeria to achieve rapid fertility control, improve the health of women, adolescents, new born and children, and other population groups.” He said Nigeria’s population, the largest in Africa and seventh globally, was hinged on a youthful population, with more than 72 percent of them being below 30 years, while half of the female population is in their reproductive years (15-49 years).

“These levels have implications for sustained population growth and narrowed prospects to achieving population management, facilitating sufficient demographic transition, harnessing our demographic endowment and eventually realising sustainable development,” he said.

The President, while commenting on other highlights of the revised population policy, said it stressed the importance of investing in quality education of young people (particularly girls), human capital development, advancing holistic efforts to achieve significant demographic transition.

“The Revised Population Policy is rich with all necessary information that will guide the implementation of Nigeria’s Mid-term and Perspective Development Plan. “It will further address concerns of the large population of young people who are our pride, our future and assets to drive our development efforts,’’ the President said.

In the candid opinion of Adesanya-Davies, “this is the time for all Nigerians, individuals, non-governmental organizations and government (legislative, executive, and judicial arms) as well, at all levels to encourage and mobilize support for President Mohammadu Buhari to end the menace of uncontrolled child birth in the country. The issue should be a concern to all at the federal, state and local levels, I reckon.

In practical terms, three (3) – to four (4) children per family are enough in Nigeria. In order to encourage and enforce this, there should be incentives from the Federal government to take responsibility for three (3) children’s education only, born by the only wife or first (1st) wife (in cases of polygamy) alone, as being operated by some Oil companies; and for those involved in polygamy, they should be on their own to face the consequences by catering for their excess baggages.

In fact, an offer by the federal government to take responsibility for FREE education of every first three (3) children in every family, born by the only wife or the first (1st) wife alone is one of what I intend to achieve and put on the table, when I, PMA, as a woman, emerges as the first female president of Nigeria – I have a dream that one day, a woman shall become the president of Nigeria, and the dream is come 2023 by the Grace of God.

The basic truth according to Prof. Davies is that, “effects of overpopulation are quite severe; ranging from rise in high cost of living, malnutrition, starvation and famine, outbreak of epidemics, water shortage etc, to major issues such as depletion of natural resources, conflicts and wars. It also leads to high rise in unemployment rates, poverty issues leading to banditry and kidnapping, cultism etc,. Therefore, different moves must henceforth be made, to take measures to tackle high fertility rates in Nigeria.”

Adding that, “ln fact, academic reviews found more mental health problems, social problems including low self-esteem, anxiety and depression and lower academic achievement in children and adolescents from polygynous than monogamous families.” All these would have to be remedied towards the UN- Millennium goals.

“Again, there is a vicious cycle of high child mortality rates, maternal death both resulting from lack of family planning and polygamy because of high fertility rates. This vicious cycle can be broken by lowering fertility through encouragement and practice of monogamy and family planning,” expands Prof. Adesanya-Davies

We would recall in 2012, Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan had urged Nigerians to limit the number of children they are having, according to the country’s leader then. “President Goodluck Jonathan said people were having too many children, and went on to speak on the need for birth control measures. GEJ said, “In particular, uneducated people were having too many children, and urged people to only have as many children as they could afford.”

He added that, “he had asked the National Population Commission to inform people about birth control before taking the issue further. He acknowledged that the issue was a sensitive one, saying: “We are extremely religious people… It is a very sensitive thing.”

Mr. Jonathan was quoted as saying: “Both Christians and Muslims, and even traditionalist and all the other religions, believe that children are God’s gifts to man. “So it is difficult for you to tell any Nigerian to number their children because… It is not expected to reject God’s gifts.”

The United Nations has estimated that the population of Nigeria could grow from 160m to 400m by 2050. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, and previous attempts to encourage adults to have fewer children have failed.

BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross says, “Population growth is increasing pressure on the land which is a major trigger of violence in the country. Mr Jonathan said legislation and policies aimed at controlling the number of births might be considered in future.

Adesanya-Davies says, “THE FUTURE IS NOW!!!’