Enugu East Local Government Area, a bustling hub within the state capital, is grappling with a slow-burn crisis that threatens to undermine all efforts towards sustainable development: the escalating challenge of high fertility rates, particularly the prevalence of multiple births, driven by deep-seated cultural pressures. This is not merely a public health concern; it is a direct contributor to chronic poverty and the alarming rise in community insecurity.
It is time for policymakers and community leaders to acknowledge that a lack of comprehensive, accessible family planning is actively weakening the social and economic fabric of Enugu East.
The Exponential Strain of Unmanaged Growth
For many families in Enugu East, the arrival of multiple children—be they twins, triplets, or simply a rapid succession of births—is not a blessing they can sustain, but a catalyst for financial ruin. When a family already subsisting on meagre earnings from farming or the informal sector, the sudden exponential increase in mouths to feed, bodies to clothe, and minds to educate becomes an insurmountable burden.
We hear the stark reality from the ground. Mrs. Adaora Okoro, a mother of eight, including a set of triplets, shares a harrowing testimony of perpetual struggle: “My triplets are 10 now, but they’ve never really had enough to eat. They often go to school without breakfast… Two of my girls have stopped school to help me sell garri in the market. We are always in debt.”
This financial distress has profound intergenerational consequences. Children are withdrawn from school, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Healthcare becomes a luxury, leading to higher rates of malnutrition and preventable illness. At the community level, essential services—schools, hospitals, water facilities—are stretched far beyond their capacity, leading to a demonstrable decline in the quality of life for all residents.
From Poverty to Insecurity: A Dangerous Link
The most alarming consequence of unmanaged fertility is the direct link to heightened insecurity. When large families cannot provide for their children, they inadvertently create a fertile ground for social instability.
A high birth rate translates directly into a massive youth population that, due to lack of educational opportunities and economic stagnation, finds itself unemployed and disillusioned. This demographic segment becomes highly vulnerable to recruitment by criminal gangs, cults, and other destabilising elements. The desperation born from poverty and idleness fuels illicit activities, transforming community frustration into tangible security threats.
Mr. Chidi Eze, a father of seven, captures this fear perfectly: “My eldest son, he finished secondary school, but there are no jobs. He spends his days idling, and I see the frustration in his eyes. I worry he will fall into bad company because of idleness and poverty.”
The inability of overwhelmed parents to adequately supervise and mentor their numerous offspring further erodes social cohesion, replacing community oversight with vulnerability and fear.
The Shadow of the Male Child Imperative
Underpinning this crisis is a powerful cultural driver: the societal pressure to produce male children. In a deeply patriarchal society, sons are viewed as the perpetuators of the family name, inheritors of property, and the primary source of old-age security.
This cultural imperative compels couples to continue having children well beyond their means or desired family size, often resulting in massive families simply to ensure the birth of a specific number of sons. Mrs. Ngozi Ani, a widow, tragically illustrates this: “The pressure to have more boys was what led to me having so many children… Now, I am a widow, struggling to feed them. The boys, they are growing up fast, and I see how desperate they are for money.”
This relentless pursuit of male heirs, regardless of the economic reality, is a fundamental barrier to rational family planning and must be addressed through targeted cultural and social sensitisation.
A Comprehensive Family Planning Programme is an Investment in Security
Addressing this complex challenge requires moving beyond rhetoric and implementing a robust, comprehensive, and culturally sensitive family planning programme across Enugu East LGA. This is not a matter of population control; it is a strategy for empowerment and security.
We call upon the Enugu East LGA administration and the State Ministry of Health to take immediate action:
1. Mandate Universal Access: Ensure that all primary healthcare centres are fully equipped and staffed to offer a wide range of modern contraceptive methods, making services geographically and financially accessible to all residents.
2. Engage Men and Community Leaders: Launch aggressive, targeted campaigns that actively involve men in family planning discussions. We must challenge the cultural norms that demand male heirs, promoting the equal value of all children and the shared responsibility of parenting.
3. Invest in Education and Empowerment: Link family planning services with economic empowerment initiatives, particularly for women, reducing their dependence on sons for future security and giving them greater autonomy over their reproductive health decisions.
4. Sensitise Against Stigma: Utilise local media and religious institutions to dispel myths and reduce the stigma associated with family planning, presenting it as a prudent economic and health choice.
The prosperity and security of Enugu East LGA depend fundamentally on the ability of its families to thrive. Uncontrolled fertility, exacerbated by cultural pressures, is a ticking time bomb of poverty and instability. By investing in comprehensive family planning, we are not just investing in health; we are investing in economic stability, social cohesion, and the lasting security of our community. The time for decisive action is now.
