CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Family is a group of people related either by blood or by marriage. These relations often form very meaningful social groups in which we feel comfortable and safe. The close bounds which we make usually last until they are broken by death or sometimes geographical distances. Anyakoha (1991) stated that family that family is important institution which passes on the culture to the children, channels sexual appetites and provides the means of satisfying human needs. According to Odigbo (2002) family is a social institution established by God from the beginning, when he created man and woman and command them to lived together for the purpose of multiplying and filling the earth. By this proclamation, the family acquired an inherent and inahenable light to care for and educate the young members of the family. Odigbo (2002) stated that marriage as an organized society consists of the rules which governs the relationship between husband and wife or husbands and wives. These rules defines how the relationship shall be established and how it may be ended the expectations and obligation it entails and the persons who may or may not enter into such relationship. Chinoy (1961) states that marriage is a palrilocal residence if the husband and wife slays with the man’s family, malrical residence if the husband and wife slays with the woman’s family, neolocal residence. If the husband and wife established their own independent domical. In addition to ensuring a continuing sexual relationship because of its child bearing function, marriage is also the licensing of parenthood.
In view of this it is a drama in which everyone becomes an actor or actress and not just a spectator. These days, things are changing because of rising tide of the powerful few interest in human generated by liberation movement, the life of woman alone. Widow, divorce and separated and recognition today. Today there are a lot of books, articles, drama on the legal and emotional aspect of separation, on the changing status of the working couples, on the financial complexities of widowhood on the challenge of single parenthood and of course, on the joys and sorrows of the single woman’s love life. The basic challenge for the most separates homes is going shapes and direction to their lives, because the separation of home is like being faced with pieces of a complicated jigsaw puzzle and asked to fit them together in a meaningful and satisfying way. Marriage in Africa region was being dominated by men folk. The woman’s duly was to cook, keep home and farm, movement for her was restricted when the man was away another elder in the family takes care and control of all the members of the family till the man returns from the journey.
That is to say that woman live under the care, control and protection of man while their husband traveled. The civilization education and modern life have lied the status of woman in the society, some are stronger than men in the family and in all capacities except the naturally endowed powers. Women today, can do any job, more freely to all parts of the world just as men do. They are neither controlled nor fear that anything will hinder them. Some women today like better life than men. To many of us the world outside marriage life looks bleak and bewildering. How does families who has been living together feel when they are separated? How does the woman cope with the fids. This research is not for the man who wonders how he will leave his family for sometimes to a distance place. This research work will provide an encouragement and sound advice on attendant problems that may enumerate from living separately, such as emotional and practical issues that faces couples living apart love and friendship works and money, day care and decision making while a husband in away from homes. Family may also be separated if one is doing a kind of job that requires long absence for example armed forces services.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Married couples are said to be people strongly united for the purpose of feeding, procreating, companionship and security. Naturally the couples are meant to live together. Today, some married couples run separated homes and this run into problems, what necessitates married couples running separate homes? What are the problem associated with this? How can the situation be ameliorated? These are the problem of the study.