Whatever I Say Is the Final: Gender and Power Relations in Family Planning Adoption among Slums and Middle Class Dwellers in Selected Urban Nigeria

Joshua Aransiola, Obafemi Awolowo University
Akanni I. Akinyemi, Obafemi Awolowo University and University of the Witwatersrand
Adesegun O. Fatusi, Obafemi Awolowo University

This article examined the power relations in family planning adoption in selected slums and middle class settlements Nigeria with a view to explore the similarities and differences in their attitudes to family planning adoption by their wives. The study employed qualitative technique involving ten FGD sessions with selected groups of men stratified by age and marital status.men in both slums and middle class expressed that they would not easily agree to family planning adoption by their wives. It is however important to note that while slum men limited men’s roles to giving approval for family planning adoption and payment for the services where necessary, men in the middle class expressed that husband’s should be more involved and even accompany their wives to family planning clinics.The study concluded that there is need to disaggregate men by socio-economic status in family planning education in Nigeria.