Family planning is a broad concept which involves couples sitting in a round table meeting to decide and conclude the numbers of children they intend to give birth to as well as the timings that would be between the children.
As we all know that intimacy must and will surely exist in between couples in marriage as the major essence of marriage is procreation which can be realized through intimacy. Although, there are other ways and means of giving birth but that is a discussion for another day.
Most times, family planning and birth control are mistakenly considered and taken to be the same not knowing that family planning is a concept broader than birth control. Family planning deals with making decisions on how to control tue numbers of children a couple intend to born while birth control is just one of the methods of family planning which specifically deals with methods, devices or drugs which are used during intimacy to prevent pregnancy.
Family planning does not only deals with decision of putting a full stop to giving birth to children, it also deals with strategizing and making proper plans for the children which have been given birth to and the generation yet unborn by putting into consideration the strategies for the actualization of the plans in terms of finance and consideration of economic situation of the country.
Family planning is seen by some tribe in Nigeria has a taboo and also misunderstand the concept. Most individuals who oppose family planning usually make reference to the period of our ancestors most especially our forefathers who were in polygamy and gave birth to maany children like a king in one of the states in Nigeria who gave birth to more than a hundred children and also, most individual who usually oppose family planning in Nigeria also justify their view by going with the popular adage which says children are blessing.
Fine, I do not oppose and will never oppose the fact that the adage is true but there were buoyant economy and agricultural activities were carried by most individual such that the poorest in a community or a society will practice a subsistence agriculture so as to feed himself compare to this present period of topsy turvy economy.Nigeria population has significantly grown and it is now obvious that the available resources can never be enough for the entire population.
Here is an overview of how nigeria population has grown significantly from 1960 to 2023 according to a data retrieved from world bank. In 1960, Nigeria population was estimated to be 45 million, in 1970 the population grew to 55.98 million and reached to about 73.7 million in 1980. Significantly, Nigeria population moved to 95.62 million in 1990 and fast forward to 2000, approximately 122.8 million was said to have been recorded. By 2010, approximately 158.5 million was recorded, approximately 206.1 million was recorded in 2020 and by 2023, Nigeria has reached 223 million. The percentage at which Nigeria population has significantly increased from 1960 till 2023 is 395.56%. This invariably means that after sixty four years of independence, our population has triple. This then pose many questions which need to be addressed.
Has our infrastructure grown significantly as our population? No
Has our economy grown as our population? No
We all agree that food is life, then has our agriculture activities grown as our population? No.
To my surprise, do you know that Russia which happens to be one of the largest country in the world had a population of approximately 119.9 million in 1960 according the same source which I consulted for Nigeria population growth i.e world bank and her population as at 2023 was jusy 144.7 million. The percentage increase of Russia population from 1960 - 2023 was 20.68% compare to Nigeria population increase of 395.56% within the span of the same years but instead, Russia has significantly grown economically more than her population.
For the reason of this overpopulation, Nigerian government is also encouraging and educating the masses on family planning. Our country needs to emulate china we they observed that overpopulation was leading them to economic destruction, they passs the bill of one child policy i.e a couple should not have more than a child in their marital life. Currently, our nation is on the verge of economic crisis, Government needs to reshape our economy for better by controlling the number of the citizens. Economy can never thrive if insecurity exist and insecurity can never exist unless there are some individuals who lack certain resources such as basic amenities of life such as housing, feeding and clothing and no individual of a country will lack the basic amenities of life unless there is overpopulation.
Moreso, parent or couples should not also view family planning as a tabboo, control the number you intend to give birth to if you know that you lack the financial resources to cater for them so that we can reduce the societal nuisance.
Family planning is not a tabboo, it's a pathway to creating a peaceful society.