Context of Male Single Parenting in Nigeria

Abstract

Most studies have documented experiences of single parents focusing more predominantly on realities of females. This is especially so in studies on Africa where single parenting has been commonly narrated as core cluster of patriarchy and feminization of gender oppression. In this article, the authors contribute to knowledge by examining single parenting from experiences of men – male single parents in patriarchal context of Africa thereby nuancing essentialist explanations of single parenting that have reified traditional patriarchy as mainstreaming single parenting into existences of a particular gender. This empirical article explores male single parenting through 30 in-depth interviews triangulated with autoethnography leveraging over 10 years of the authors’ primary insights, contextual lived experiences and observation. Issues examined include: worldviews about male single parents, consequences of male single parenting, companionship deficits occasioned by male single parenting, support systems and perceived benefits of male single parenting in context. Findings show many male single parents do not get formal supports, like from government agencies and non-governmental organizations, but they get informal supports from their kinship and social networks like families, friends and neighbours. Sense of maleness – sense of wanting to show being a strong man – do not make many male single parents seek supports from people as they do not want to be seen as weak if they seek supports. While some single fathers enjoy emotional supports from networks, they suffer serious financial pressures and insufficiency as they are not able to get financial assistance from anyone or organization. This is very important against the background of poor economic system in which male single parents live.