SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MARITAL INSTABILITY IN NIGERIA



SUMMARY
This study set out to find out the effects of marital instability on children in Akpawfu Town of Nkanu East LGA, Enugu State. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire. The sampling techniques used were multi stage sampling techiiiques, which include clusterr*sampling and simple random sampling. The data collected were analyzed using frequency table and simple percentage (%).

From the analysis of the data collected, it was discovered that the causes of marital instability in the study area include the following: childlessness, unsatisfactory sex relations, poverty, sickness, male child syndrome, and unwise choice of a partner. Childlessness ranked first (1st) position with thirty-nine (39) responses, which represent 25.66%. It was closely followed by male child syndrome with twenty-seven (27) responses, which represent 17.76%. Poverty and sickness ranked third (3rd) and fourth (4th) position with twenty-five (25) responses and twenty-three (2.3) responses which represent 16.45% and 15.13% respectively. Unwise choice of a partner ranked fifth (5th) position with twenty-two (22) responses to represent 14.41%. While unsatisfactory sex relations ranked sixth (6th) position with sixteen (16) responses which represent 10.53%.
On the basis of the effects of marital instability on children in the study area a total of six (6) effects were discovered. They include the following: teenage pregnancy, armed robbery, violence, prostitution, academic performance and juvenile delinquency, Juvenile delinquency ranked first (1st) position with sixty-two (62) responses, which represent 40.79%. Poor academic performance ranked the second (2nd) position with twenty-nine (29) responses, which represent 19.08%. Armed robbery arid prostitution ranked third (3rd) and fourth (4th) position with twenty (20) responses representing 13.16% and sixteen (16) responses representing 10.53% respectively. Violence ranked fifth (5th) position with fifteen (15) responses representing 9.87%. Teenage pregnancy ranked sixth (6th) position with ten (10) responses representing 6.58%.
Lastly, various ways to solve the problems of the effect of marital instability on children in the study area were also discovered. They are counseling of the children of such families, childcare and institution for children and enlightenment campaigns. Enlightenment campaign ranked the fist (1st) position with sixty-nine (69) responses, which represent 45.39%. It was closely followed by counseling of the children of such parents with forty sever (47) responses, which represent 30.92%. While childcare and institution ranked the third (3rd) position with thirty-six (36) responses, which represent 23:68%.

CONCLUSION
The research work revealed that marital instability has not been adequately controlled in the study area. The causes are found out to be the following factors: bareness, male child syndrome, sickness, poverty, unwise choice of a partner, and unsatisfactory sex relations. To solve these problems, seminar should be organized for the couples from time to time.
Based on the findings of this research work, it was also discovered that children of the affected parents suffer immensely. Some of the behaviours that children display nowadays are due to the kind of. home they come from. Some of the behaviours of the children  from  unstable  homes  are  teenage   pregnancy,   armed robbery, violence, prostitution and poor academic performance.
Therefore, marital instability cannot be completely avoided due to the fact that human beings are the most complex animal to deal with. That is to say that whenever there is two or more people living or staying together, there most be element of disagreement among them. So, for one to think of a completely stable co-existence of two individuals is simply an illusion. The following measures should be used to minimize marital instability to a very low degree. First and foremost is courtship. Courtship has been existing for generation in many cultures but with different name. It is the surest way of reducing marital instability if not completely wiping it out if adequately carried out. Courtship is a period before the proper marriage whereby the two persons that want to marry get to know many things about themselves. They learn and evaluate each other to ensure themselves that they can actually accommodate each other's shortcomings. Secondly, marital adjustment is a very weapon for ensuring stable marriage. This is a pattern of behaviour response, which a person utilizes to resolve perceived inadequacies. Marital differences and conflicts are almost inevitable but it will always be satisfactorily resolved if the couple agree or rather appreciate the problem and make adjustive responses that are relatively mutual.
Lastly, self-assessment and self-searching should not be left out as a solution to this marital instability. Couple should always examine himself/herself to find out his/her faults and become genuinely sorry for himself/herself.
The following measures should also be used to help the children of "the affected parents: affected children should be counseled from time to time, child care and institution for children should be established and enlightenment campaigns should be used.

RECOMMENDATIONS
In view of the effects of marital instability on children, the following recommendations are given to help the parents and children of the affected families.
The government should set up marriage and family counseling centres in every town of the state to take care of the marriage counseling. The government should avail itself of services of social worker and social welfare services. The government should use mass media to educate the people. The church which is a powerful instrument that influences people should use its organs and agents to educate their married members on the right attitude to marriage. Young boys and girls should base their marriage on love and not on material wealth or beauty. This will lead to mutual understanding and respect between the partners thus, leading to a more stable and happy home. Also, young people should take time to study each other before marriage so that they will understand each other better. Because of the increased rate of juvenile delinquencies in our society, parents should try to inculcate the right attitude in their children so that they will grow into useful citizens.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES.
It is very obvious that solving one problem at hand, creates room for other problems and for this, the researcher had to find out the effects of marital instability on children in Akpawfu town of Enugu state. The researcher suggests that any further research on the effects of marital instability on children should look into  the following areas;
i.         The consequences of marital instability on the society.
ii.        The importance of stable marriage.
iii.       Ingredients of stable marriage.
iv.    Ways to overcome marital instability.

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