CAREER WOMEN AND HOUSEHOLD STRUCTURE IN SELECTED BANKING INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

• Published in: International journal of sociology of the family Vol. 39; no. 1/2; pp. 93 - 113
• Main Authors: OMOTOSHO, JOSHUA, BABATUNDE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serials Publications 01-04-2013
• Subjects: Banking; Child care; Children; Depth interviews; Economic Structure; Employment; Family Structure; Family Work Relationship; Husbands; Mothers; Nigeria; Wives; Womens Roles; Womens studies; Working Women
• ISSN: 0020-7667; 0973-2039; 0020-7667

Modernisation and the need for survival in Nigeria are prompting women into jobs formerly reserved for men. Studies also reveal that a relationship exists between women involvement in employment outside the home and the family structure. This study examined married women involvement in paid employment and its implication on the social and economic structure of the family using some selected banking institutions in Ado Ekiti, southwest Nigeria as a case. The study adopted quantitative and qualitative methods, where a total of 150 questionnaires were purposively distributed among married female bankers across selected banking institutions in Ado Ekiti and 20 in-depth Interviews were conducted. Key findings from the research indicate women in paid employment contribute significantly to the financial upkeep of their families. Their involvement in paid employment has also affected the African traditional structure of the family in terms of women's roles as mothers and wives. However, in-depth interview conducted suggests that this change in roles and structure might not affect the stability of their marriages considering their financial input to their families and the importance respondents attach to their marriages and family.