Dakore Ekpendu, Iroegbu Decry Burden of Endless Sacrifice on African Women, First Daughters
…Security experts warn that cultural expectations, economic pressures and unequal family responsibilities threaten women’s emotional well-being and family stability
African women, particularly first daughters, are increasingly bearing disproportionate emotional, financial and domestic responsibilities under cultural expectations that equate womanhood with endless sacrifice, two security experts have warned.
Dakore Ekpendu, Chief Executive Officer of Public Intel Security Africa, and Senator Iroegbu, Editor-in-Chief of Global Sentinel, said the pressure on women to remain strong regardless of their personal circumstances had become an overlooked human security concern with far-reaching implications for families and society.
They raised the concern while examining the theme, “The First Born African Girl Child (Human and Gender Security Perspective),” with particular focus on “The Politics of the Strong African Woman.”
Ekpendu, who also hosts a security-focused programme on Nigeria Police Radio, said society had consistently placed unrealistic expectations on African women, often measuring their worth by their ability to manage family challenges, provide for relatives and endure difficult circumstances without complaint.
She observed that women were frequently expected to prioritise the needs of their husbands, children and extended families, even when doing so meant neglecting their own emotional and personal well-being.
According to her, the perception that a good African woman must never give up, tolerate difficult marriages and make unlimited sacrifices has normalised emotional suffering while presenting endurance as a virtue.
She identified first daughters as particularly vulnerable, noting that many were compelled to assume adult responsibilities from childhood, effectively becoming second mothers to their younger siblings.
Such responsibilities, she explained, often include childcare, household management, supporting parents and contributing financially to family upkeep, sometimes at the expense of their education, personal ambitions and emotional development.
While acknowledging that these experiences could develop leadership skills, independence and resilience, Ekpendu warned that excessive responsibilities could also result in emotional exhaustion, trauma and psychological distress.
Contributing, Iroegbu argued that the concept of human security should extend beyond conventional threats such as terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery to encompass emotional stability, psychological well-being, personal safety and the security of the family.
He said the emotional and economic conditions under which individuals live could determine their ability to maintain healthy relationships, build stable families and contribute meaningfully to society.
Iroegbu also linked poverty, unemployment and excessive family responsibilities to wider security challenges, warning that young people struggling under the pressure to provide for their families could become vulnerable to criminal activities, including internet fraud.
He further noted that economic desperation and the desire to escape difficult family circumstances could influence relationship and marriage decisions, potentially exposing vulnerable individuals to exploitation and abusive relationships.
The speakers maintained that insecurity should not be understood solely through physical threats, arguing that emotional distress, economic vulnerability and instability within the family could create conditions with wider consequences for society.
They therefore called for a broader understanding of national security that recognises the connection between individual well-being, family stability and social development.
They urged society to reconsider the traditional portrayal of the strong African woman, stressing that strength should not be defined by how much hardship a woman can endure but by the support, dignity, protection and opportunities available to her.
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