Obehi Ibadin, 21 years old, Edo State, Nigeria
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I’m Obehi Ibadin. I hail from Esan North East Local Govt Area but I reside in Benin City at No 14 Osasogie Street, off Adolor Road, Ugbowo. The first child of my parents. I’m a graduate and I work as a secretary in a law firm. Not yet married but I’m in a serious relationship. I’m 21 years old.
Was family planning a topic that was discussed when you were growing up?
No, it wasn’t discussed while I was growing up. I read about it and I’m always around married women so I hear them talk about it.
How important do you think family planning is to you and your community?
It’s important for me, since I’m not yet thinking about getting married, it helps me prevent pregnancies and abortions.
What does family planning mean for your life?
It helps me to save myself from unwanted pregnancies, abortions, infertility issues that might result from abortion or taking prevention drugs indiscriminately, at least now I know better that not all pills especially emergency contraceptives should be taking regularly.
What kind of progress would you like to see in the area of family planning?
I feel youths, by that I mean young persons in their early twenties and late teens who are sexually active should be encouraged to adopt contraceptive methods. The methods are safe, with the rate of unwanted pregnancies, drop outs from school and teenage parents everywhere especially single mothers, they should consider taking family planning. They are just skeptical about it and many do not even know about it, that they can take it too, and is not just meant for the older and married women. With the right approach of course, I feel they would want to yearn. From what some social mobilizers from Connected Advocacy-TCI are doing, it will go a long way to see to this development when they see fellow youths like them advising them on family planning, I also think continuous dialogue on contraceptives usage and its benefits should be organizing to break knowledge gaps and misconception about contraceptives.
Do you have a message or statement you would like to make for other women?
Women should encourage each other to go for family planning. Tell your other women how family planning will help them plan well and have a better life.
