The Igbo people have a saying – “Ọkụkọ chi ụmụ adịghị
arahu na enu” which loosely translates that “A hen with chicks does not
sleep atop trees.” Many mothers have decided to sleep atop trees, while
their children tun into undesired elements of society. There are women
who have found an excuse to be bad mothers, just because the man is
irresponsible or not. They call it equality – breaking even.
I want to use this age-old adage to discuss one topic that
has been given me great worry concerning some mothers of this
generation. You see, we now live in a world where some mothers who are
meant to be role models to their children (especially their daughters)
have decided to “sleep on trees” for their Individual satisfaction and
gains. But they forget that parenthood is a sacrifice and duty which
requires decorum.
By the misinterpretation of westernization, some of our
African mothers have forgotten their divine role in the molding of a
child. Although the upbringing of a child is a duty for both parents,
there is a reason why mother nature gave the woman breasts and such a
tender heart. There is a reason why it is the African mother (woman) who
carries the pregnancy.
We now have mothers who encourage their daughters to sleep
outside with various men for money – mothers who tell their sons that it
is OK to “make money at all cost.” Even it if it meant stealing. We
have mothers who abandoned their duties at home to attend to business
and let their children run wild in the neighborhood.
We have mothers who sleep around with men and sometimes
bring the men home in the presence of their kids. We know that there are
men who abandon their duties to their wives, and are always on the
road, but that is not enough reason for the mother to jump on the road
too.
One particular scenario which I have noticed is mainly
women who run restaurants and beer parlors. 70% of these women find
nothing wrong with men making advances at their daughters. As a matter
of fact, they encourage it. Some of the women go as far as sleeping with
these men and passing their daughters to the men too, just to get more
money.
There are women who have found an excuse to be bad
mothers, just because the man is irresponsible. They call it equality –
breaking even. They say: “since my husband stays out till 10 pm, then it is only right that I stay out till 10 pm,
and if the kids need food, we will get a nanny/house help to feed
them.” But the truth is that the African mother is the nurturer of the
earth and thus cannot be wayward just to measure shoulders with the man.
If you are a mother, please do your best to set the best
examples for your children. Sacrifice your urge to be a girl who runs
around town. Motherhood comes with maturity – it is a spiritual duty.
NB: This article does not endorse waywardness on the side
of men. It does not also say that women don’t have a right to a good
life. It only preaches that parenthood is not for kids and the role of
the mother in molding the character of a child is of great importance.
SOURCE: https://libertywritersafrica.com/the-african-mother-and-the-carelessness-of-the-21st-century/
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