End of the year marriages in Nigeria, let’s think quality, not quantity, shall we?

It’s the end of the year, and marriages happening everywhere. So I have a little suggestion for today’s upcoming and young parents. Can you not have more than four kids, please? Three is okay. 4 are many already. Let us train those 3 or 4 kids into confident and functional adults and give them the best material and emotional support we can afford.

The Quran does not prohibit birth control, nor does it forbid a husband or wife to space pregnancies or limit their number. Thus, most Islamic jurists believe that family planning is permissible in Islam. Our God is a God of order. We are the chaotic ones. Sometimes in some Nigerian families, the resources for three kids are being dispensed among 5 to 6 and sometimes 7 to 8 kids. It doesn’t make sense. It is not by numbers alone.

Of the 195 countries globally, Britain has invaded all but only 22 countries. By 1913, they were in charge of 23% of the world’s population- about 412 million people. And there were only 46 million Brits in 1939. But they have raised men who did things.

It wasn’t by numbers. Denmark today isn’t more than 6 to 7 million in population. But they leverage their human capital well enough, and for that, sit at number 7 in the world’s index. Same thing with Sweden which has only about 10 million people and has one of the world’s highest minimum wages.

Even China, with a very high population and a good government with plans for its management, is controlling its population by limiting the number of children they give birth to. Our population does not have that kind of government.

One trader in Kano is a significant influence on the economic infrastructure of northern Nigeria. Still, if he gets married and produces eight children, his trading business might be adversely affected. Primarily because, unlike in China, the Nigerian government might never support his talent. Ultimately, the social welfare of those kids will suffer, and they might not be able to achieve half of what their father earned.