Akeredolu’s wife criticises spate of single parenting in Nigeria
Wife of Ondo state Governor, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu, has decried the rate at which many Nigerian men abandon the responsibility of training children to their wives alone.
Mrs. Akeredolu said this at the weekend while declaring open the 2019 family conference organised by the Blissful Home Initiative in Ijapo Estate, Akure the Ondo state capital.
She lamented the increasing number of single-parenting in Nigeria, saying mothers were over-burdened with the task of raising children alone.
According to her, many men are now absentee fathers, which is the reason we live in an imbalanced and non-prosperous society due to the absence of healthy families.
She emphasised the need for a progressive society where there is mutual respect and genuine love in the family, noting that for a man to respect and value his wife did not mean he was weak.
“l always leverage on my position as the first lady to promote a healthy family where both parents are actively involved in the care and development of their kids.
“As one of our activities in this regard, we included a family game that requires the participation of the father, mother and their toddler in the second FOWOSO summit scheduled to hold on the December 4 -5,” she said.
Mrs. Akeredolu noted that the family game known as crawlers’ competition is aimed at strengthening the bond between both parents and their kids.
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”In preparation for the event, my team went to all the local governments in Ondo state to select families that will participate in the crawlers’ race.
“Their visit to the local governments has really shown that most men are unconcerned in the care and development of their children,” she said and expressed the hope that the competition would expose the dysfunctional and lack of love and affection within families.
The governor’s wife therefore, described the theme of the conference: “Conjugal bliss: A panacea for peaceful societal peace” as instructive and urged men to man-up and show true love to their wives to jointly care for the children.
She commended the convener of the conference and Chairman of the state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Ayo-Oladapo and his wife, Esther for promoting good family values through the programme for the past nine years.
Rev. Ayo-Oladapo appreciated Mrs. Akeredolu for her motherly support for family issues in Ondo state while affirming that enhancement of family values remains part of her vision since she became the first lady of the state.
