TWO CAN PLAY: A TALE OF GOVERNMENT AND YOUNG PEOPLE (1)

‘Sola Fagorusi

I am sitting down with one of my closest friend and trying to sound him out on contraception and its accessibility. I am amazed to discover he really has no subterranean knowledge on how to use the condom properly despite his active sexual life. He tells me he uses two condoms at a go for double protection. Yunus (not real name), my buddy, tells me the popular condom in Nigeria, the Gold Circle bursts most times when he uses them. I discover his wrong use was the responsible factor. Then again, he shares with me instances when he did not use them and how the experience comes to haunt him later.

This is not exactly about Yunus, but then, I abruptly realise that despite my now 13 years experience in sexual and reproductive health matters, I have never had a serious jaw-jaw with my friend of five years on the subject. I always assumed that since he was street-smart and educated, he was well-informed enough to know how to correctly handle contraceptives. How wrong I was!

This piece is a foray into the role of government as a regulatory organ; its role in promoting sexual and reproductive health vis-à-vis contraceptives, and why young people in Nigeria, my native country, should have unhindered access to contraception. This is at a period when the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has expressed concern over the low rate of contraceptives usage in Nigeria, saying it is negligible. The International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) also believes that the availability of contraceptives is low in Nigeria compared to what obtained in other countries in the West Africa sub-region.

The truth is that young people will and are having sex. It’s idealism versus realism here. What the government owes them is to provide information on the risk and consequences involved and, more importantly, how to protect themselves and where to find the tools for protection. Given the deeply religious nature of the country, where most people are either adherents of the Christian or Islamic faith, it is amazing that cases of teenage pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted infections (STIs) are still rampant. It’s an indication of the sexually active lifestyle of Nigerian youths. It is thus unreasonable to push for abstinence alone.

Condoms readily come to mind when the lips are wrapped around the word ‘contraceptives.’ Of the genre of contraceptives, it is common knowledge that condoms are the best because of the dual protection they offer. Condoms are known to provide protection against STIs and pregnancy. Sex, most times, for young people is for experimentation and pleasure. The female condom is, however, unpopular in Nigeria. It is equally not readily available.

The culture of silence over sex needs to be broken in Nigeria if the subject is to enter discourse in the public domain. The primary agent of socialization of every child is the family. I easily recall my parents never sat me down to discuss sex-related matters with me. My accidental incursion into a youth centre was the answer for me at age 17. Contraception is the use of various devices, drugs, agents, sexual practices, or surgical procedures to prevent conception or impregnation and or STIs. Contraception helps women plan if and when they want to have a baby. The condom is the only current contraception device that helps protect sexual partners from STIs in addition. Contraceptives are the devices, practices and procedures involved in the former.

The traditional and modern methods of contraception however subsist. Abstinence and withdrawal method explain the traditional form. This article’s interest is in the modern methods of contraception, which include male condom, female condom, spermicides, contraceptive sponge, diaphragm, cervical cap, pills, implants, Intrauterine devices and emergency contraceptive pills. Of all these, three are, however, relatively popular with the youth population although the other are also available for birth control purposes. The male condom, the female condom and emergency contraceptive pills, popularly called prostinol by young people are common.

The male condom is the most patronised contraceptive and can be purchased for a paltry N20 or 13cents in the case of the highly subsidised Gold Circle brand. Other brands are equally accessible for between N200 or $1.30 and N500 or $3.20. The female condom is not as popular as the male condom; and ignorance of its availability is pervasive.

Guys buy the male condom and girls seldom do. Given the cultural silence on sex-related matters in Nigeria, it’s ‘unethical’ to talk about condom use in public. It’s even considered ‘bad’ that a condom is found in an open place in one’s room. Condoms are to be hidden and only seen during use.

It’s okay to keep a cigarette in public purview but not a condom. Contraceptives, like condom, are only readily accessible over the counter in chemist stores. Given the number of people who patronise the stores for different reasons, it, most times, is a concern to have young people, especially those just initiating sexual intercourse, walk into stores requesting for condoms. Most chemist stores are manned by adults and chances are that the young person feels that such adult would perceive him as a bad boy. Girls are very unlikely to buy condoms. It’s boys’ business. And when it is unavailable, the chances of unprotected sex are high.

There’s a Nigerian joke of a young man who walks into a store irregularly to purchase condoms and each time he does, it’s with a firm voice – “Give me condom” he pays and exits. The store owner knows this.

On a particular day, he enters in his usual bravado style. He is midway into his request for a condom when he notices his mother’s friend and suddenly backtracks and says, ”Give me con; give me com-bantrin!” The latter is a deworming drug! The joke underscores the perception that buying a condom is dirty and a discreet business. Even when young people go into pharmaceutical stores to procure contraceptives, it is most times referred to in different names. Condom, for instance, is called raincoat or C.D or G.C (short form for gold circle). A pharmacy attendant I asked also hinted at young people simple walking in and picking the condom since they can tell where it is. And they go ahead to pay without a word.

The only times young people have access to contraceptives again are at trainings or awareness programmes on reproductive health, where they are distributed. In most instances, this is for the urban and sub-urban youths. The problem of teenage and unwanted pregnancies invariably affects the whole society. With 166,629,000 people, Nigeria’s population is the largest in Africa and 7th in the world. Government understands that more children mean more budget for infrastructures and would choose prevention of unwanted pregnancies over the attendant effects. The provision of contraceptives is a good way to start for the government.

The lack of correct information about contraceptives makes provision of contraceptives by government ineffective. My friend, Yunus can afford contraceptives; but, inconsistent and wrong use strikes out the benefits. The knowledge of use is strategic in pushing for its use. Users should also know the potential consequences of their actions. The point of provision is a good data collection point.

*Kindly look out for the concluding part of this article next week