From cultural beliefs and bride price entitlement to fears of diminished masculinity and reduced sexual pleasure, many Nigerian husbands reject condoms and vasectomy, leaving their wives to bear the burden of family planning alone. JANET OGUNDEPO reports

When the side effects of several contraceptives she used became too much to bear, a middle-aged mother of four, Amara Nwobi, summoned courage and walked into a registered pharmacy in the Somolu area of Lagos State.

Her goal was to enquire about contraceptive methods she could use to prevent another pregnancy.

As she interacted with the healthcare worker, our correspondent observed that Nwobi was quite knowledgeable about the several planning methods.

Whenever a method was mentioned, she’ll respond, “I don use that one before, I dey react to am.” This means that she has tried several methods and had reactions such as irregular menstruation, constant headaches and bloating.

As she left the pharmacy determined to go to the family planning unit of the Primary Healthcare Centre in her area for further counselling, our correspondent approached her to ask a few questions to which she obliged.

The mother of four explained, “Despite all these reactions I have, my husband will never agree to use a condom.

“He’ll say, ‘After I paid my wife’s bride price in full, I can’t use the condom with my wife. If I use it with her, what should I then use with ‘Olosho’?”

When asked if she had explained her reactions to the methods, Nwobi said her husband told her to enquire about other methods with the hope that one would be perfect for her.

Why would I use a condom with my wife?

Several married men interviewed by PUNCH Healthwise on their views about contraceptive use, especially the barrier method, condom, explained reasons for their reluctance.

A Lagos-based Software Engineer, identified only as Mahatma, said, “Condoms sometimes feel like an emotional barricade for men who prefer to have the skin-to-skin contact.”

The father of one noted that since he doesn’t need to protect himself from sexually transmitted infections, there was no need for him to use a condom with his wife.

Mahatma, however, was open to using other available, safe and reversible male contraceptives if his wife reacted to the available methods for females.

While the software engineer declined to undergo a vasectomy, he believes family planning “should be a shared responsibility but can’t be equal as it is mainly to protect the woman.”

For a print media practitioner and father of three, Ojonrewaju Lanre, he can only use a condom with his wife “for her health’s sake.”

He further explained, “I think it is cultural and religious. Culturally, it is against our belief system that a husband is using a condom with his wife. In my 13 years of holy matrimony, I have never used a condom with my wife. On a religious basis, my faith is against any artificial contraception. Condom is one of them.

“Bride price or no bride price, once you are married you have to consummate your union. Why use a condom? I use the withdrawal method.”

The father of three vehemently refused vasectomy, saying, “Not in this era of high rate of paternity issues. Once a man is considered not virile, then what’s the use of his masculinity? Psychologically, both partners will have insecurity and infidelity issues.”

Men feel safe with wives, so why condom?

A Lagos-based father of one, Oluwamuyiwa Oyedele, believes that most married people feel safe with their wives, “believing the wives know when it is safe for them to be impregnated. And many also enjoy having it raw with their wives, believing it’s a safe place for them.”

He, however, noted that paying his wife’s bride price doesn’t give him the right to have sex without a condom, stating that his wife’s comfort during the sexual activity was important to him.

Oyedele says he’s comfortable with condom use and couples should both be involved in contraceptive use.

A Client Relationship Manager, Odedeyi Williams, believes that men enjoy sex “raw,” stating that for the prevention of pregnancy, men can use the withdrawal method.

While the Abuja-based husband says he is only comfortable with the male barrier method of contraception, condoms, and likes the idea of male contraceptives, he believes family planning is “basically for women; men don’t have a womb.”

Williams further says he will participate in family planning to avoid unintended pregnancy.

PUNCH Healthwise earlier reported that despite the push for increased uptake of family planning services to regulate the country’s explosive population growth, some Nigerian men have vowed not to embrace vasectomy, a form of male birth control method.

The report showed that men are worried a lot about whether their testosterone levels and libido would drop, while some are particularly worried that they could suffer from erectile dysfunction after undergoing vasectomy.

Globally available and approved modern contraceptives for men are condoms and vasectomies. In some countries, spermicides are available, and research is ongoing to develop non-hormonal male contraceptive pills and gels.

PUNCH Healthwise spoke to some women who confirmed that their husbands do not use or agree to the use of male contraceptives and have allowed them to use whichever modern contraceptive was effective for them.

These women pray that someday, “better contraceptives for the men will be available so they can also be involved in the family planning process.”

Contraceptives don’t reduce men’s dignity– Urologists

Commenting on the matter, a urologist and President of the Association of Urological Surgeons, Nigeria, Prof Nuhu Dakum, said many men refuse to use condoms because it denies them the natural sensation they ought to enjoy during sex.

“Many men feel the natural sensation is dulled when they use a condom, so they do not want to use it. Many may also feel the insistence of a partner that they use a condom may be an indirect way of saying they are not trusted, thus casting doubts on their faithfulness,” he said.

He further noted that misconceptions such as “condoms are meant for unfaithful partners or those infected” prevent the uptake of the contraceptive method.

The don stated that many men also think that vasectomy or other ways of contraception are only for women.

Dakum further explained that condoms and vasectomy are “the two main contraceptive methods,” stating that “male pills are not fully developed, and spermicides as methods of male contraception are not popular.”

On the health consequences that may arise when family planning responsibility is placed almost entirely on women, the consultant urologist said, “The consequences may be the side effects of the female contraceptives on the women.”

He stated that health education of men and involving them during family planning counselling with their wives on contraception would further help to increase male adoption of contraceptives.

On his message to Nigerian men who believe that using condoms with their wives or undergoing vasectomy diminishes their manhood or their rights as husbands, Dakum said, “This is a misconception. No man’s dignity is reduced because he uses any contraception. It would reduce the burden on the women if men also get involved in contraception.   Men are advised to get educated on the methods available and discuss with their doctors so they make informed choices on the appropriate method for them,” he said.

In an earlier interview with PUNCH Healthwise, a professor of Urology and Consultant Urological Surgeon at the University of Abuja and the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Oseremen Aisuodionoe-Shadrach, noted that the slow adoption of contraception among males was due to cultural beliefs, adding that it could be difficult to change the perceptions and mindsets.

The Reconstructive Urologist explained that the reluctance towards vasectomy is largely due to the surgical nature of the procedure and the psychological impact of “stopping their capacity to reproduce.”

He added, “Not many men will do a vasectomy. Not many men will even use condoms, as simple as it is, because they feel it is the woman who should routinely use contraception. Most of these things stem from cultural beliefs and are not psychological.

“First, because men think that it is women who should use contraception. You know, they think, culturally, it is the woman who gives birth. So, if you don’t want to give birth or want to space childbirth, you should use contraceptives.

“So, I think that it is just a cultural way because that was how it was devised from the beginning, and that was why female contraception started early.

“It was like, if we can get female contraception, then there will be no conception. So, of course, the introduction of barrier methods using condoms is not necessarily for male contraception, but for the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections, really.

“So in a logical sense, you would say that female contraception started with a cultural bias that since it is the woman who gives birth, then prevent that conception in the same woman.”

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Rofiat Abdulazeez, daughter of 57-year-old farmer, Abiodun, whose lifeless body was found in his cocoa farm in Owa-Onire, Kwara State, speaks to DARE AKOGUN about the family’s desperate search for him before his corpse was found, the agony of receiving his body instead of a call for ransom, and why they are pleading for justice

How related are you to the late Abiodun Abdulazeez?

I am the second daughter of the late Abiodun Abdulazeez, popularly known as Kebe. My father was 57 years old before he was killed.

Could you walk us through the morning of July 11? What happened before he left home?

That morning is one I will never forget. Around 7 am, my father got ready for the farm. Before leaving, he drank pap.. He told us he was going to his cocoa farm in Owa-Onire to plant cocoa. He also assured us that he would not spend much time there and promised he would return early.

There was nothing unusual about that morning. He was calm as always. Nobody imagined those would be the last words we would hear from him. If we had known, maybe we would have begged him not to go.

How long had he been farming there?

My father had farmed on that land for about 25 years. The farm is located in Owa-Onire, while we live in Isalu. The journey takes about two hours. Farming was his life. It was not just his occupation; it was how he fed us and took care of the extended family. He knew every part of that land because he had worked there for decades.

Did he ever express fears about going to the farm?

No, he never specifically complained about being afraid to go there. However, there were periods when insecurity became very serious around that area because of bandit attacks. Whenever that happened, farmers usually stopped going to their farms.

There was a time they stayed away for almost four months because of insecurity. Apart from that, there was another issue last year when some people entered his farm and cut down trees without informing him.

He reported the matter to the traditional ruler of Owa-Onire because he wanted the issue settled peacefully. Beyond those incidents, he never imagined anything like this would happen to him.

When did your family realise something had gone wrong?

Normally, my father never stayed for too long on the farm. Around 12 noon, we became worried because he had not returned. We contacted one of his brothers, who also farms around that area, and he immediately went to look for him. That was when everything changed.

What happened when your uncle got to the farm?

When he arrived, he saw only my father’s motorcycle. The motorcycle was there, but my father was nowhere to be found. He immediately came back to alert the rest of the family. By then, hunters and community members had joined the search. Everyone realised something terrible had happened.

What was the mood in your community after he disappeared?

The whole community became worried. People sympathised with us immediately. Everyone was praying and hoping he would be found alive. It was a very sorrowful atmosphere because my father was known as a peaceful and hardworking man. Nobody expected him to disappear simply because he went to work on his farm.

When you heard that only his motorcycle had been found, what went through your mind?

Immediately we heard that only his motorcycle had been found, we believed he had been kidnapped. That was honestly what everybody thought; nobody imagined he had already been killed. We kept hoping the kidnappers would contact us.

Were you expecting a ransom demand?

Yes, we were waiting for a phone call; we expected they would ask for money. At least, if they demanded ransom, we would know he was still alive. But less than two hours later, everything changed. Instead of a call for ransom, the hunters found his body inside the farm. That hope of seeing him return alive disappeared instantly.

How did your family receive the news of his death?

The hunters did not even need to say much. They simply brought his body home. That moment cannot be described. It remains the most painful experience of my life. No daughter ever prepares herself to receive the lifeless body of her father. It felt like our entire world collapsed within minutes. Even now, I still find it difficult to believe he is gone.

How has his death affected your family?

The impact has been enormous. My father was the breadwinner. He carried the responsibility of not just his immediate family, but many members of the extended family.

Emotionally, we are devastated; financially, we have also been affected because everything depended largely on him. After his death, every day has been painful, and the house is no longer the same. His absence is felt in every corner.

What kind of father was he?

He was a very loving and caring father; he was gentle and had a soft heart. He always encouraged us; he believed in hard work and wanted all his children to become successful. Even after working so hard for many years, he never enjoyed the fruit of his labour.

That is one of the things that makes us very sad. Whenever I think about him, I remember his words of encouragement. That is what I miss most, more than anything else.

He was not just our father; he was the pillar of our family. Everything revolved around him. He worked tirelessly every day just to ensure that everyone in the family had something to eat and lacked nothing within his ability. He was a loving husband, a caring father, and someone many people respected because of his peaceful nature and hard work.

Have the police or any security agency visited your family?

No, nobody has visited us. No security agency has come to our house to take statements from us. We have not received updates about investigations. That silence is painful because we still do not know who killed our father or why.

What kind of justice are you asking for?

We want a proper investigation. We want those responsible to be identified. Whether they were kidnappers or other attackers, we want the truth. At this moment, we do not suspect anyone specifically.

What we want is for security agencies to investigate everyone around the area and uncover exactly what happened. Nobody should leave home to work on a farm and return in a coffin.

What is your message to the government and Nigerians?

As the second daughter of Abdulazeez Abubakar Abiodun (Kebe), I want to appeal to the Kwara State Government, the Federal Government, the police, other security agencies, journalists, bloggers, human rights organisations, and every Nigerian to help us.

Please, help amplify my father’s story. We do not want this case to be forgotten. My father deserves justice. Our family deserves answers. We also want farmers across Isin Local Government Area and other rural communities to be safe.

People should be able to go to their farms without being afraid that they may never return home. We will continue to seek justice until those responsible for killing my father are identified and brought before the law. That is the only way we can begin to heal.

Looking back today, what memory of your father remains strongest?

The last thing he told us was that he was going to plant cocoa. He drank pap before leaving; he smiled and promised he would not stay long. That simple promise keeps replaying in my mind every day. He always kept his word about not staying long.

But none of us knew he would return home lifeless instead of walking through the door as he always did. We can never replace him, but we hope justice will ensure that no other family has to endure the pain we are living with today.

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The mystery surrounding the death of Mary Habila, a nurse attached to the office of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, deepened on Friday as legal advice revealed that authorities were still seeking answers to the circumstances surrounding her sudden demise.

While Habila’s family intensified its demand for the release of her remains for burial, the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice advised that a post-mortem examination was necessary to determine the cause of death.

The ministry stated that available evidence did not indicate that she was suffering from any health challenge before the incident.

The development came as the police began inviting persons considered relevant to the investigation, including those who may have information about the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death.

However, the family has continued to oppose an autopsy, citing cultural and personal reasons and insisting that their immediate concern is to recover her remains and perform her burial rites.

The disagreement between the family and investigators has now placed the case at a critical point, with the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, expected to intervene following a formal petition submitted by the family on Friday.

Habila, a staff member of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, died on June 27, 2026, at a private residence linked to the minister.

Her death generated public interest after reports emerged about the circumstances under which she was found, prompting police investigations and the detention of her remains.

Family petitions IG

The family, through its lawyer, K.A. Yusuf, on Friday petitioned the IG, accusing the Ebonyi State Police Command of unlawfully withholding Habila’s corpse weeks after her death.

The petition, titled, “Complaint Against the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State, for the Unlawful Refusal to Release the Corpse of Late Mary Habila for Burial,” was submitted at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The family argued that it had fulfilled all requirements demanded by the police and had repeatedly requested the release of the body but was unsuccessful.

Yusuf said the continued custody of the remains had caused emotional and psychological distress to the family and prevented them from carrying out traditional and religious burial obligations.

“The prolonged withholding of our client’s daughter’s remains has caused our client and his family immense emotional, psychological, financial and cultural hardship.

“Our client’s family has been denied the opportunity to perform the customary and religious burial rites to which every deceased person is entitled,” the petition stated.

The lawyer urged the IG to take over the matter from the Ebonyi State Police Command, direct the immediate release of the corpse and investigate any officer found to have acted unlawfully.

Speaking after submitting the petition, Habila’s father, Wisdom, said the family’s position remained unchanged.

He said his only request was to take his daughter home and bury her.

“All that I want is the body of my daughter. We don’t keep the body of a little child for this long just like this.

“That is why I am here to say it once again and for all. I need the corpse of my daughter to take her for burial. That is what I am standing on,” Wisdom said.

Asked why the family was against an autopsy despite the police insisting that it would help unravel the circumstances surrounding her death, the grieving father said they had made their decision.

“I don’t want the autopsy. That is why I am demanding the release of the corpse of my daughter to go and bury her now,” he stated.

However, the father clarified that the family was not accusing anyone of causing Habila’s death.

“I am not suspecting anybody because death can occur. Even as we are standing here, one can fall here now and die. It has happened. So, we are not suspecting anybody,” he added.

Habila healthy before death – DPP

The family’s demand came against the backdrop of a legal opinion from the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice, which raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the nurse’s death.

The document, obtained by Saturday PUNCH, stated that Habila was healthy before she arrived in Uburu on June 26.

The legal advice, dated July 15, 2026, was signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, J.U. Chukwu, and addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, Ebonyi State.

Titled, ‘The DPP’s Legal Advice in Re: Case of Sudden Death and Unnatural Death of Mary Habila with case file no. Cr: 578/2026,” the document supported the police recommendation for a post-mortem examination.

According to the DPP, establishing the immediate and remote causes of Habila’s death was essential to the investigation.

The advice stated, “There was no evidence that the deceased was sick or unstable health-wise prior to her sudden death, as she was full of life at the time she returned to Uburu in the company of her team.”

The document further stated that available evidence showed that Habila was alone in her apartment when she was found lifeless.

It added that she was found unclothed, with bloodstains around her nose and mouth.

The DPP noted that the circumstances surrounding the discovery of her body created the need for further investigation.

“From the foregoing, the question that would readily come to mind is what exactly caused the deceased’s sudden death? This curiosity under the law can only be resolved through a post-mortem examination, so as to provide a clue to the police as to the direction of their investigation,” the advice stated.

The ministry, however, acknowledged that the police had the discretion to either respect the family’s request or proceed with an autopsy.

“It is therefore the view of this office that the police invoke their discretionary power to either respect the request of the deceased’s family or proceed with the post-mortem examination,” it added.

Police invite suspects

Saturday PUNCH gathered on Friday that the police had commenced interviews with persons considered relevant to the investigation.

A senior police source confirmed that individuals connected to the incident had been invited to provide statements.

“They have been invited by the police to make statements. That’s how it’s done, and we can’t do otherwise here.

“If you call it an arrest, fine; if you call it an invitation, that’s also fine. But we invited all of them, and they have all made their statements,” the source said.

The source declined to provide details of the statements obtained, saying investigators were still working on the matter.

A senior official of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government was committed to ensuring a transparent investigation.

The official said the process would be allowed to run its course without interference.

However, the minister’s media aide, Nwaeze Francis, said he was not aware that Umahi had received any invitation from the police.

“As I speak with you, I have no information about any invitation or letter from the police to the minister. I have no information at all,” he said.

Umahi denies wrongdoing

The minister, who broke his silence on the matter on Thursday, said he suspected no foul play and described attempts to link him to the incident as “politics taken too far.”

Umahi said Habila was like a daughter to him and had worked closely with him for several years.

He disclosed that the deceased had a history of medical challenges and that he personally supported her treatment.

The minister also revealed that Habila complained of bleeding from her nose during a telephone conversation with her boyfriend shortly before she was found dead.

He maintained that there was no evidence of foul play.

Family defends Habila’s identity

Meanwhile, the family’s lawyer moved to correct what he described as misinformation about Habila’s identity and professional background.

Yusuf said the deceased was a nurse and not a physiotherapist.

“It is important to clear some grey areas, especially areas where false allegations have been propagated about her person and character.

“Late Mary Habila was not a physiotherapist. She was a nurse and was employed by the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, before she was seconded to the office of the minister,” he said.

According to him, Habila had worked in the minister’s office for about three years and remained a civil servant.

He said the family had documents, including her appointment letter and payslips, to establish her employment status.

The lawyer also criticised what he described as attempts to damage the reputation of the deceased after her death.

He said Habila deserved dignity and respect.

A colleague of the deceased, Anita Baaki, who attended the family’s briefing, equally dismissed reports suggesting that she and Habila were newly recruited into the minister’s office.

“We were not transported in any vehicle. We were colleagues and I have been working for a very long time. We have been working under the minister for about three years,” she said.

Baaki clarified that Habila was the nurse while she was the physiotherapist.

“She is a nurse. I am the physiotherapist here. The reports that she was a physiotherapist are not correct,” she added.

Calls for probe, resignation

The incident has attracted political reactions, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar calling on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Umahi pending a transparent investigation.

Atiku argued that the investigation should not be handled solely by authorities in Ebonyi State because of the minister’s political influence.

Several groups have also called for a thorough investigation.

However, a faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo opposed calls for Umahi’s resignation, describing them as premature.

In a statement signed by its Deputy President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group said no person should be punished before investigations were concluded.

It described the calls as politically motivated and urged that due process be respected.

The group also criticised what it called selective outrage, referring to previous cases of killings, questioning why political leaders who did not demand similar actions in those instances were now calling for sanctions.

According to the group, investigations should be allowed to proceed without political interference.

Similarly, the minister’s kinsmen under the Rulers Council warned against politicising the incident.

In a statement signed by their spokesperson, Nicholas Odi, they urged investigators to conduct an impartial inquiry based on evidence, professionalism and the outcome of any independent examination.

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