A new study by Gatefield, a consultancy, suggests Nigerian men increasingly see emotional involvement in their children's lives as more important than their traditional role as breadwinners, Premium Times reports. In the qualitative report, published by the firm's Opinion Lab, participants mentioned emotional connection 156 times, almost twice as often as financial provision.
The study found that men who define themselves mainly by what they earn often feel shame and withdraw when money is tight, which it calls provider shame. It also points to workplace barriers: public sector staff get 14 days of paid paternity leave, but men in the informal sector, which employs about 80 per cent of Nigeria's workforce, often lose income if they take time off to care for children. The report argues that fatherhood should be valued beyond economic output.
Source: Premium Times