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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

In Nigeria society the child is highly cherished not only by the parents but also by the family. Community and the state in general. It constitutes the most valuable resources to all. It is with the child that community of the family stock is assured. To every home the child is a symbol of hope and regeneration. One's personality is not fully developed until he becomes a parent’s status which seems to bring along with it some satisfaction and serenity a child is instrument to establish a lasting family. The death of an individual is mourned with grief if he is not survived by any issue. Otherwise the grief is tempered with merriment more so if many of the children have out grown adolescence and are emotionally independent with their own means of live-hood and already finding a place for themselves in the society. At such funerals community expressed prayer that they too will be survived by well to do and reliable issues or children. 

However, the National Child Welfare Policy of 1989 defined a child as anybody who is twelve years or below the new draft degree on children put the age of the child in Nigeria as from 18 years or below. It is pertinent to note that this age definition of UN convention is already in practice under municipal laws. Therefore, parents and the society at large are Under Obligation to provide their children with proper education and to protect them from exploitation and abuse arising from broken homes and negative influence that infringe on their right. Thus considerable premium is placed on children and their proper upbringing. It is equally the cultural norm that the care and upbringing of the child is shared by all family and the community alike. The rise and fall, the joy and sorrow of a child are the concern of all of no one ever hears the cry of a child without going to his aid. All communities in Nigeria do have and show concern for child care.

The concern and aspiration of the Nigeria society for the child is recognized by the government of the federation when it declared as major goal of its policy. The creation and maintenance of an environment conducive to the healthy growth and development of the child, it will be noted that in the tic past, especially in the Nigeria society, parents and relations did not need to go far from home their day to day work. Members of the family would like to engage in common enterprises such as farming, fishing, carpentry etc so that the child will have excellent opportunities for early socialization with their parents, early learning to relate satisfactorily with others.

Child neglect was rarity as parents siblings, kinsman and neighbors were at hand to help and care, opportunities to adjust to working life were abundant, but the family has in the last few decades undergone changes in its formation and structure and consequently in function to such an extent that the traditional security usually provided by the family is by and large disappearing thereby given room for a broken home. The issue of broken home has given a great concern in the world at large especially in Nigeria thereby causing a social problem in the society. The family is the basic social unit to any nation; since the nation is built by member of the family the social and economic development of the nation depend on the stability and well being of the family. There is need, therefore to ensure that the family is properly planned and developed to be able to function effectively for the overall development of the nation. Lack of adequate focus by policy matters on this problem of broken home has resulted a big problem to the society. For instance, most of the hoodlums and political thugs we have in the society today are from broken homes. This study therefore seek to investigate the prevalence, perceptions, implications, produces and prevention pattern of broken homes in some part of the country (Edo State) as it proposes the need for a conceptual rethink in Nigeria.

Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to investigate the socio-cultural and behavioral contexts of broken home the people of Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study include. 

1.  To find out the perceived causes of broken homes among the people.

2.  To find out the perception and attitude of those who are victim of broken home.

3.  To investigate the problems and coping mechanism among the people who are affected as well as the feeling of the members of the society toward it and how these influence treatment or solution.

To make policy recommendation based on study finding on the management of broken home experience.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this research is to bring to the mind of readers the idea or the important of children upbringing in the society, it also reveals the negative consequences and effect of broken home of parents on their children upbringing. Also it has been observed that in spite of the damage broken home has done in the society, not much has been done by the government to ameliorate if for the better. The researcher will be looking for a possible means of putting an end to the problems of broken homo and ways to assist the children of broken home in the society.

Significance of the Study

The welfare and development of any nation depends, largely on the quality of the family unit taken into consideration the traditional and cultural values that enhance and strengthen the healthy and wholesome development of the Nigeria society, the integration and co-existence of the family is the ultimate goal of any marriage. The danger that this ugly incidence of broken home poses on the child and the society cannot be over emphasized it is not a thing to be proud of. It requires no praise or emulation. This study therefore, shall serve as a great tool for intending couples to seek the face of God and understand marriage proposal, it also provide pathways through which the problem of broken home can be reserved so as to ensure a conducive atmosphere in which the family can operate effectively and harmony towards realization of its goals. Statement of Study. The home that was designed to be a shelter umbrella for the children has teared apart as a result of misunderstanding and mismanagement of the parents thereby given room to hoodlums and miscreants.

Therefore, there is need to ensure that conducive atmosphere in which the home can operate effectively and harmony towards the realization of its goals is been put in place lack of focus on this problem has resulted an increased of single parent and un-parental care of the children. These social changes and resultant transformation in the family (homes) structures in many circumstances gave room for child neglect and abuse. The home is the basic social unit of any- nation since the nation is built by the members of the family. Hence, the social and economic; development of the nation depend on the stability and wellbeing of the family (home). There is need, therefore to ensure that the home is properly planned and developed to be able to function effectively for the overall development of the nation.

From the aforementioned, a number of research questions have been raised and efforts will be made to address them in order to have a comprehensive understanding of the effect of broken home in the life of a child and the damages this problems has done in our society. The research questions that would be answered by this study include what are the perceived causes of broken home among the coupled? What and how do member of the society conceive and perceive as broken home? What are the Socio-cultural and behavioral factors that predispose couples to have a broken home? What are the challenges or problems associated with those who experience broken home? What coping strategies arc adopted or adapted by a victim of broken home? And how these coping strategies suggest treatment or solution on broken home.

Justification of the Study

The welfare and development of any nation depends largely on the quality of the family unit. However, many family in Nigeria are increasingly finding it difficult to achieve a well planned united home even the government less focused on this issue despite the National Child Welfare Policy in Nigeria which is deeply entrenched concern for the overall well-being of the child, from a conviction which is firmly rooted in the various cultured of our people, that the welfare of the child is bound up inextricably with that of his parents, his family and kinship group to which he belongs and the wider community in which he lives and grows. It also flows from the realization that the welfare and capacity of the nation tomorrow depend very much on the development experiences and overall life quality of children today. This is believed that the faith of the Nigeria government and people in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human bring as well as by the internationally accepted principles are that mankind owes the child the best it has to give. Broken homes have eating deep in our society.

There is no adequate grass root campaign on the effect of broken homes in the life of a child in-spite of the policies and programmes on child welfare. Broken homo has long been a major cause of social disequilibrium in our society (Nigeria). This includes child neglect; child abuse as such early maltreatment on children has a negative effect. In some instance children with histories of maltreatment such as physical and psychological neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse are at risk of developing severe psychiatric problems. These children are likely to develop reactive attachment disorder (RAD), such children also may describe as experiencing traumatic attachment problem. These trauma experience is the result of abuse or neglect inflected on them by primary care giver, which (not their parents) disrupts the normal development of secure attachment (which can only be found or given by their parents). Such children also at risk of developing a disorganized attachment. Disorganized attachment is associated with a number of developmental problems including dissociative symptoms as well as depressive anxiety and acting-out symptoms. Children who have experienced such early chromic trauma often developed complex posttraumatic stress disorders which will in-turn to social problems. Broken home is culturally regarded as a separation of spouse. But there are also some spouses who are together yet the home is broken as a result of misunderstanding and disagreement between the husband and the wife.

This study attempt a comprehensive understanding of broken homes as it relates to both affecting family and society. Similarly, this study sees urgent needs to examine and understand broken home behavior in Nigeria in order to identify its socio-cultural and other proximate variable. A study such as this will go a long way in stimulating further research and developing a holistic framework for understanding the effect of broken home as they portion to Nigeria. Above all, this study will assist in designing acceptable development and policy programmes based on findings from the study. This would properly developed efforts as well as enhances the well being of Nigeria children.