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It was not just a pain to my heart but I felt so depressed and became weak when I stumbled upon this article on unfaithfulness of women and the research that brought about this pain. This is highly ridiculous, unacceptable, disheartening and blasphemes against Nigerian womanhood. This is a slap on the faces of our great women who labour day and night to see to the growth of our Nation. I will not agree to this conclusion irrespective of the nature and research methodology employed. I will not stand to accept this ridiculous conclusion to stigmatized women especially in my country based on non-scientific research and fallacious hasty generalization.
The article by Nkechi Opurum on cheating dated 7th December 2011(available online: http://dailytimes.com.ng/article/nigerian-women-are-most-unfaithful-durex.Accessd 12/12/2011) and the conclusion that Nigerian women are the most unfaithful in the world caught my attention with disbelief. I was wondering the source of this conclusion and the nature of data used. Is it a primary data collected by the researcher or a sourced data from other agencies, researchers or institution? What kind of research methodology was used to collect the data? What is the validity or reliability of the questionnaire used for the research? Who validates the questionnaire? Was it personal interview or snow balling that used for this research? Was there any pilot study carried out? Was the research based on probability sampling method or non-probability sampling method? What was the nature of the research brief?
I totally disagreed with this as it is disrespectful to our Nigerian women, mothers and women all over the world. I find it so difficult to believe that a reputable company like Durex (which is known for promoting health and safety related contraceptives) could accept and published wrong finding like this, without thinking about the ethics regarding research reporting and presentation. Based on my research experience, I believe this kind of research is not the type that can easily be conducted in an opening environment by asking the participants (who are culturally inclined) about their relationship life especially in a country like Nigeria where it is regarded as a stigma if one is caught cheating on either of the partner. Therefore, I want to know whether the participant were so free to discuss questions that touch their personal life or was it the case of a mentacide. One thing might be certain; it is either that Durex’s research agent lied about the purpose of the research to the respondents, which is totally against the code and conduct guiding research practices or the research findings, report and presentation were manipulated to suit the need of the client. Either of the cases, it is an ethical issue involving the protection of respondents which can be viewed from three perspectives: (i) the ethical issue confronting researchers in their relationships with use of the guise of conducting a survey to sell products (ii) the invasion of the privacy of the respondent (iii) the abuse of the respondents. The research agency (Harris Interactive) of Durex had violated the code and conduct guiding the ethics relating to invasion of the privacy of the respondents and the abuse of the respondents.
Scientifically, I believe a research is conducted to resolve a particular research problem and provide research solution (s). What exactly was the research problem that brought about this finding or conclusion? What were the research objectives and the formulated hypothesis? What are the dependent, independent and other types of variables that were considered and measured in this research? What is the sample size of the Nigerian women used that brought about these representation and generalization? What kind of women was used for this research (that is, the nature respondents for this research)? Talking about the sample size, Durex claimed that 26, 000 respondents from 26 countries were involved in the acclaimed research which implies that at least 1, 000 participants from each stratum (the country) in her stratified sampling. This could imply that just about a barrack in maybe any remote area in Nigeria was used for the research as compared to the 42,534,542 population of females between 15-64yrs. Mathematically; this is just 0.0023% of the given age group. This is unwelcoming.
Come to think about it; does Durex or its research agency thinks the kind of Jerry Springer’s show in America whereby couples cheat on each and publicly confess can happen in here in Nigeria? Not to talk of woman publicly confessing to a stranger (whose intent she knows not) that she cheated on her husband while still in marriage or in relationship. Is the researcher really sure that women were interviewed or teenagers with youthful exuberant or juvenile delinquency were used for this study? Africa countries are countries with rich culture and where virginity till wedding day is highly valued now becomes object of derision.I wondered why bad result, situation, event and things are always associated with the Blacks. The truth is that either the White or the Black it is highly difficult to reach a conclusion about sensitive issue like cheating.
If by this infinitesimal sample size Durex made a generalization to the whole population, then there is need for proper readdress of the group involved. Moreover, I am challenging the authority and the authenticity of this research conducted by Harris Interactive for Durex. I want a public debate and challenge of intellectual principles behind this research and its findings. Most importantly, Durex should redress the Nigeria women in manners that not only befit their qualities as good sister, wives and mothers but also as the Pride of every nation.
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Nigeria women affair should sue the company that publish this article to court.As a Nigeria man i strongly disagree on this article.Man know thyself.
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