Three Months To Produce A Baby

If humans continue to exist on planet earth, there is one special species to whom we must give the most credit. All of creation owes its existence to this one group. Out of these special ones is the entire procreation under the heavens, both male and female, black and white, birds, animals and man. The value of females could never be undervalued. Yes, even God himself, when He would become a man, did not come in spirit but in flesh; and that, through a woman.

It is obvious, how fateless, like the dinosaurs, the entire human race lies in the absence of women. Yet, we continue to meet out untold injustice to them as a reward for creating us. It is no mean thing, what pain women usually go through to produce another human being. It is the most priceless of sacrifice, second only to the price Jesus paid on the cross at Calvary.

The act of reproducing another human has no substitute. And this act, which is done at the cost of their own lives, is never so well appreciated if women are given just three months maternity leave to produce a baby. It is unfair.

Employers would have an extra cost to bear if maternity leave for women is extended beyond three months, but such cost is nothing compared to that which women pay at the labour ward for us. Three months’ leave off work for pregnant women is woefully inadequate. And no matter what we may do on mothers’ day, such legislation is ingratitude to our creators.

The other day I saw a police woman heavily pregnant with a baby, yet was in uniform and my heart skipped out for her. I remember well. The same day, I was going to work with my boss who was weeks due for delivery; and I couldn’t bear to see her, being unable to walk just few meters to the road side.

Pregnancy, right from the confirmation up to delivery is a very critical task because the least mistake would cost a life or lives. Then talk about from the sixth month to the ninth. You see women virtually carrying another farmer, teacher, trader, goldsmith, lawyer, doctor, or president; yet we task them to work equal like us? How unfair!

Then talk about the postnatal. How long it takes for women to recover from the pains and fears of those hours of labour at the delivery ward when they crawl through the valleys of the reality of death to produce you and me. Talk about having time to take care us when we were the feeblest creatures on earth. Then we dishonour them with only three months’ maternity leave? Shame!

I, Rich Akpalu, am making this advocacy via this article that maternity leave for women henceforth should be extended; and anything less than six months is still unacceptable and unworthy. I humbly call on all women advocacy groups, and you my dear reader to join in this advocacy.

In this month of celebrating mothers globally, I wish to say kudos to my mum Mrs. Juliana Kakaku-Akpalu, and all mothers across the globe. God bless you all for creating us! We are proud of you!

Written by: Rich Akpalu

(Author of bestselling books: ‘God in Me’ and ‘Many Antichrists’)