It is bandied about that a man is the head of the family. That means it is his responsibility to provide for the needs of his family.
That was the trend in the olden days. Women stayed at home and men hustled to provide for them and the children. Of course then, needs were few and living cheap.
Today, all that has changed. Life is expensive and needs abound, so everybody, men and women, girls and boys hustle in the attempt to make ends meet.
Also, this is the era of equality and what a man can do, a woman can too, so it is not unusual to see a woman earning more than her husband these days.
A couple of weeks ago, a twitter user tweeted about a couple and how a man told his wife to quit her job because she was earning more than him and he was insecure. She left the job and got another one where she earned a lesser pay and they lived happily ever after.
While it is not certain if this is a true story or not, it generated a lot of buzz and got people talking.
The Next Edition decided to find out from some women what they thought about the issue. Would they do this for the sake of their marriages?
Ajumoke Nwaeze, Content Creator/Singer
“Yes, as long as he has more than enough to take care of the home and spoil me silly. However if he doesn’t and he is asking such let’s just say I won’t even attract that kind of man so we won’t even get to that dilemma.”
Keisha Perry, Microbiologist
“So what happens 4-5 years later when due to hard work and divine grace I’m promoted again and earn higher again at a new job? I resign again? Are they using my picture to fan fire in the village?”
Veronica Idowu, Entrepreneur
“I can’t do that sha. What if I now get promoted in the new place of work and salary increases? What happens then? I resign again? It’s just a cycle I can’t even start.”
Idara Obot, Student
“I can’t say what I would do, I’m not married. It would depend on the circumstances around the time. Can he handle the family needs? Is the job interfering with the marriage or anything of the sort? I would weigh all these before I decide.”
Jennifer Natheniel, Makeup Artist
“It is never a woman’s job to make you feel like a man. I can’t make a man into something he’s not. So no, this validation he’s seeking by asking this won’t be coming from me.”
Princess Adebayo, Air Hostess
“This is why people should relate before getting married. These are thing you either talk about or as a woman, you feel him out. Any man that cannot handle you having a job that pays more is the type you don’t want to marry. I won’t resign because I won’t marry that man.”
Mercy Godson, Business Manager
“It’s called compromise. If he can set me up with something else I like, I believe I would. It will be painful though if I resign and then I can’t do anything else.”
Modupe Princewill, Graduate
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that! If you feel insecure with my earnings, double up or you resign to fate but don’t demote me to be happy. It’s not pride, it’s me knowing my worth and not giving you commission”
Abasiama Eminue, Educator/Entrepreneur
“Yes, I would quit the marriage; the marriage I’m in with an insecure waste of space! Why should I lower myself so much and actually crouch just so a man can feel taller? Abeg, abeg, abeg.”
Due to the intensity of the debate some men chimed in to share their thoughts as well.
Stephen Oladokun, Business man
“Why would my wife quit a high paying job? What sort of rubbish obedience is that? I will even encourage her. Support where necessary. But if the job is affecting things, like commitment to family, I will sit her down and we talk about a time frame. She needs money to establish herself cause that’s what everyone needs.”
Oluwayemisi Abim, Engineer
“Please how in God’s name would a man ask his wife to resign because her salary is more than his?? The level of insecurity is really bad. That cannot be me.”
JT Ogundoro, Lawyer
“Such BS! So if she becomes CEO you will tell her to resign too since that seems like it will aggravate the situation more? Simplistic thinking is dangerous.”
One Twitter user going by @Okurinmetaabo_ who is a man going by his avatar even put it thus;
“Alternative 1: Husband could have traded his job for a better paying one.
Alt 2: Husband could have ventured into an extra side hustle.
Alt 3: Husband could have dealt with his insecurity.
I’m just thinking out loud, don’t bother to pay me any attention. As you were!
With the amount of likes the post got and some of the comments that it garnered, it was obvious that just as there were people who didn’t support it, there were just as many who did.
Where do you stand? Sound off in the comment section.
