Boys being raised strictly by women is 'one of the biggest issues of our time' - Ebo Whyte laments

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, citing 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.

"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,” he said.

He reminisced about past generations where, in the absence of a father due to death or divorce, women would seek out a male figure 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 accountable.

“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 said.

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