There is no doubt that the average ‘only male child’ in Nigeria is usually under family pressure. Then there’s also this question of “does the family have the right to put him under this pressure?”
Recently, a lady’s lament on social media has been making its rounds. According to her, her only brother ordered her to leave his house, because of what he considered as improper conduct from her. In her visit to his place, she couldn’t hide her disappointment about the situation of things.
In her exact words:
“My younger brother is married and for 5 months now I haven’t seen his wife spit or vomit which clearly shows she’s not pregnant. I have asked why she doesn’t want to be pregnant no reply. Before you guys make excuses, she is a young girl in her 20s and my only brother is 33. We expect quick conception.”
Now, there is a question of if she has the right to disturb his wife with that question.
Personally, I believe family members are meant to understand that there’s a limit to this “pressure” thing. The young man is the one meant to be worried, and not you. The young man is the one meant to receive that question and not his wife.
He is meant to be the one receiving the question because he’ll understand it better as your brother – asking the wife will make her feel like a failure in the marriage.
Again, whether she is pregnant or not, is not her fault alone. It could be a joint decision between her and your brother. If it’s not intentional, it could also be medical. If it happens to be medical, it’s more reason not to throw the question at her alone.
Two people are involved in making babies, and not one person.
In-laws ought to know these things, otherwise, they’ll keep complaining of how they were chased out of their relative’s house.
Written by: Edward Amah
