One of Ghana’s biggest issues of our time is boys raised by women without male influence — Ebo whyte

Renowned Ghanaian playwright Ebo Whyte has voiced his concerns over the growing trend of boys being raised by their mothers without male role models.

In an interview with Joy Prime on May 29, 2024, Ebo Whyte described the situation of young mothers choosing to raise their sons without any male influence as alarming, making reference to it as one of the biggest problems in society.

“One of the biggest issues of our time is boys being raised by women without any male influence. And so it is a big issue,” Whyte emphasized.

He expressed his alarm at the increasing number of young women who believe it is acceptable to raise a child without a husband or a male figure, stressing that such an approach leaves the boy lacking essential guidance.

“I am alarmed that more and more young ladies think that it’s a good option to have a child without a husband, without a man to help raise the boy… it will leave that boy lacking something. He needs a father figure in his life,” Whyte said.

Reflecting on past generations, Whyte noted that in situations where fathers were absent due to death or divorce, women would seek male figures within the community to mentor their sons.

“In our mother’s times, when situations compel them to have to raise a boy by themselves, either because the man is dead or divorced, they always look for another man in the community to let the boy go and hold himself accountable to that person,” he added.

The playwright urged single mothers to find a trustworthy male figure who can serve as a role model and hold their sons to strictness.

“If you don’t have a man, the man is dead, there’s been a divorce. Look for somebody else in the society whom the boy can look up to, who can look up for the boy and be able to hold the boy accountable,” he advised.

According to Ebo Whyte, fathers or father figures play a vital role in the development and upbringing of boys into responsible men.