Idoma paramount ruler, Och’Idoma, His Royal Highness, John Elaigwu Odogbo, and Dr. Otive Igbuzor of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, Centre (LSD) have lamented that due to training inadequacies, responsible girls can no longer find suitable and potential husbands.
The Och’Idoma and the Executive Director of Centre LSD, Otive Igbuzor made the assertion in their remarks at an event held in Abuja at the weekend to mark this year’s Father’s Day.
Speaking at the event, the Idoma paramount ruler, Och’Idoma, who was represented by Chief John Ochai, canvassed gender equality and inclusivity for peace to reign in the country.
The traditional ruler urged parents to treat male and female children as equals to ensure sustainable peace and development.
On his part, Igbuzor said Nigerian society must raise the boy child to see masculinity in a new way by understanding that being compassionate and crying is not bad.
Igbuzor lamented that many responsible girls cannot find a well-trained and responsible man to marry.
“Even the programme we are doing today, we are honoring men who have raised their children on equal basis. So, for us, gender equality is not saying that men and women are the same. Our conception of feminism or gender equality is equal rights and opportunities for men and women, boys and girls.
“In fact, in some cultures, if a woman is going to marry, they prepare her for marriage. And the preparation, to be sure, involves everything, even how to take care of the husband. But nobody prepares the man. And many men are engaging in very risky behavior that is dangerous to society. So, our conception is that, look, both men and women make society work.”;
An international development expert and a lecturer at Baze University Abuja, Hussaini Abdu and Iroro Izu, respectively, said men and women have equal role to play in Nigeria’s economic development.
