Overpopulation: The Silent Killer of National Development

Conversation regarding population growth and how it's affecting the economy is a valid concern that we should be talking about; it's not one that should be swept under the carpet. Population is rising globally, and the rate at which it's going is quite scary, even here in Nigeria, as it has gone on to affect the availability of the capacity of resources, infrastructure, and economic strength is declining by the day. If these were to continue, it would surely not only pose a threat to our families individually, but also to our nation at large.

Since this has caused an imbalance in the resources available to the people, should the government start encouraging families to have fewer children through incentives? It's worth noting that I personally think government encouraging people to give birth to fewer children is worth considering, but I don't necessarily think there's a need for such encouragement to include incentives. I mean, come to think of it, the economy is already declining; including incentives for such a cause will only further crumble it, especially in a country like ours where poverty and unemployment are already a big issue.

The truth is that a reasonable adult or parent nowadays should know this without being told that raising children in our world today is quite expensive, from school fees, medical care, food, shelter, clothing, and so on isn't a joke, yet you'll find some people who'll be living in poverty and struggling to feed themselves go on to produce five, six, seven, or more children without any resources to cater for their basic needs or a stable income. I've personally seen families who turn their children into a source of income by making them hawk on the street, beg for arms, force them to fast, and drop out of school just so they can survive; the same is the case in the school I teach; you'll see some of these students won't come to school on market days because they want to go and hustle; it's ridiculous.

Although if the government were to step in with incentives, that could come in the form of free education for maybe at most two children from each family, free medical care for families that stick to the specific numbers, and the like, I believe if these are put in place, they'll most likely encourage more responsible parenting; after all, it's not like they're being forced, but instead showing them that quality matters more than quantity when it comes to raising children.

While the encouragement in the form of an incentive feels good in the way I suggested, other ways, like giving food or money directly, won't help, as these families will still give birth to many and find a way to manage those incentives amongst themselves. I remember wanting to date a lady a few years ago, and during our conversation, I asked about how many children she'd love to have, and she said six. I'm like, why? She just went on to say she loves children and can't manage with the two I said I want; funny enough, this same lady doesn't have any source of income or a job. Imagine getting married to such a person with my current job; I'll certainly die untimely due to me overworking myself to fend for my family and children.

Overall, it's not like I'm against people having children or having the numbers they desire; all I'm saying is that they think about the long term—that is, think about the future they want to give their children. Can such a future be assured with the current situation of the country's economy? Can their business yield enough to provide them steady income if they, peradventure, don't get a job after graduating? Because I believe a healthy population will always do better than one that's overpopulated, just like we've seen in Nigeria, where everyone is trying to survive with the little opportunity and resources that get to them.

All photos are taken and edited on canva.