The Longman dictionary of contemporary English defines cohabitation as the act of living with another person and having intimate relationship without being married. Cohabitation has recently become a trending phenomenon in major tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
It is a generic issue of concern as it is striving at degrading the level of morality and sanctity in tertiary institutions. In most tertiary institutions in Nigeria cohabitation is commonly practiced as a campus way of life. Many students believe the practice is merely to keep body and soul together.
Causes of Cohabitation among Students of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
Lack of good moral background and proper home training amongst others have been identified as one of the contributory factor to this aberration. It has been observed that some parents and guardians do not even care to know how their children and ward fare in matters of religion and morality.
This worrisome condition results to raising children who are morally bankrupt and viable to social vices. Hence, such children themselves become perpetuators of these vices on campus. On the other hand, many children who come from morally sound backgrounds suddenly discards their moral believes in school and give in to peer pressure.
Such practices which take different shapes such as Campus marriage, Campus coupling amongst others have eroded the level of morality in Nigerian students thereby defacing their moral standards and understanding and perception of life leaving their academic lives in shambles.
This instance has given credence to the fact that those who engage in such practices give flimsy excuses. Such excuses includes the challenge of getting hostel accommodation, to love themselves better or to help in doing academic work together.
Dangers of Cohabitation among Students of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
The dangers associated with cohabiting are not farfetched. There are a number of negative consequences of cohabitation to both the male and female genders.
For the female gender, they stand the risk of health problems such as
- Unwanted pregnancies which may lead to abortion
- Risk of damaging the Uterus in the cause of abortion
- The risk of contracting transmitted diseases and
- The risk of death
On the other hand, the male partner can be faced with the problems of
- Financial destabilization,
- The contraction of transmitted disease,
- Poor academic performance and
- Eventual rustication.
How to Reduce/Stop Cohabitation among Students of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
Despite the gravity to which this disgusting and immoral phenomenon has attained in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, it is indeed possible to curb it.
To curb this anomaly it beholds parents and guardians to play their parts in other to inculcate sound moral standards in their children and wards and have them raised strong enough to resist whatever peer pressure they would face while on campus.
Students must also see the need to imbibe good character and morals and stock them from their homes
Organizing seminars on the dangers of cohabitation will also be helpful.
Parents can also do well to occasionally visit their children and wards in school in other to know how they are faring. If students know that their parents could visit them without prior notice they will definitely jettison the idea of cohabitation and other unethical behavior.
If this is done, an academic environment void of corruption and immorality will be birthed. This will lead to students becoming more focused in their academic work and thus become successful in all their academic and social endeavor.
Written By Obinna Ezenwa.