Linguistic Verbal Arts and the Problem of Overpopulation Growth in Nigeria

Abstract

Linguistic verbal arts deals with the use of chants, statements and verses of oral and written materials in expressing feelings using one language or the other. Among the challenges militating against expected human and material development in many African countries is population explosion. Available social infrastructures can no longer adequately satisfy the needs of the people. At present, in Nigeria compared with what obtained many years ago, religious practices are taken as excuses for marrying many wives when in the actual sense, there are often misinterpretations of the doctrines of the religions. The findings of this paper is that though many Nigerians are either Muslims or Christians with few number of traditional religious faith, the lust for marrying more than one wife did not make them obey the doctrines of their religious practices. This paper derives its strength from collation of verbal arts as expressed in the Holy Books of the Muslims, Christians and Ifá Oracle, one of the African traditional religions. The paper posits that no religion in Nigeria advocates for many wives and many children. The implication of this paper among others is that it provides valuable information on Nigerian population particularly as this concept remains a great troubling issue for Nigerian and many African governments. It is yet an attempt aimed at discouraging Africans from creating more problems for themselves and the continent through production of more children than they can cater for.