If you are a Nigerian who
lives in the country, then you
would understand that the
society places some sort of
responsibility on the men. We
get to hear people say things
like it is not easy to be a man
and the sort.
This is because there is an
unrealistic expectation the
society has as to the way a man
should behave and the things he
ought to have at a particular
period in time. as a matter of
face, a Nigerian man’s life is
planned out long before he
starts to hustle.
If he hustles for too long
without having a major break,
there is problem. If he does not
hustle at all, he is not a man. If
he resides to fate, then he is
lazy and when a richer man
snatches his wife from him, he
is considered unfortunate.
What then is expected of a man
in Nigeria and how best is he
supposed to live his life when
the public is sentimental about
his life style and what he
chooses to do at a particular
time.
Find below some of the things
expected from a man in Nigeria:
1. He should never cry
When he is bereaved, he is
expected to hold himself and
comport himself. He is not
allowed to give in to emotions
because it would portray him as
being weak. What exactly is he,
a robot?
Many people believe it is an
abomination for a man to cry
and being a man in Nigeria
means you have to be strong
always even when you are dying
within.
2. You are less of a man when
you are jobless
If you are a man in Nigeria who
is jobless, life could become
frustrating. You lose the right
to air your opinion because you
are tagged a recluse as a result
of your joblessness.
Hanging out with your friends
will be impossible because you
would no longer be considered a
part of them. Your license as a
man is being revoked until you
have what it takes to measure
up to the other men in the
society.
3. You must provide for your
family
It does not matter if your
salary is a little above 50k, you
are expected to take care of
your family with it, your wife
must look good in the society;
your parents have done their
best taking care of you, now it
is your turn to take care of
them.
And you had better save part of
that money too because your
friends expect you to chat over
a couple of drinks once in a
while. All these would happen to
you because you are a man.
4. Attending a reunion while
being broke is not allowed
As a man in Nigeria, you are not
supposed to let your old friends
see you as a struggling person in
Nigeria, attending reunions
mean you have to be on your
best behavior and show
everyone you have made
something out of yourself.
As a man in Nigeria, you are
expected to form up to the
point where your helper thinks
you should be the one helping
him.
5. Your wife should never earn
more than you
Being a man in Nigeria means
you have to kill yourself in
order for your family to live.
You are a woman’s wrapper if
you seek the counsel of your
mother and you half of a man
when your wife puts food on the
table.
Being a man here means your
wife’s salary must not be more
than yours and you must turn
her down any time she wants to
help with a bill so you do not
lose your title. How sickening!
6. You are not allowed to
show signs of defeat
As a man, you are to give
everyone the impression that
you got things under control
even if you do not know where
you are. You are supposed to
live a false life so as to keep up
with the expectations they
have of you being a man. You
should never accept defeat, it
is a sign of weakness on your
part.
7. You are to be totally
useless in the kitchen
Being a man in this part of the
world means your duties do not
extend to the kitchen. A woman
is meant to look after your
needs and do everything for
you. You are not expected to
know how to do simple chores in
the house; if you are able to
boil water to a hundred
degrees, you have done
something extraordinary.
