Roberta Edu, CEO of Moppet, has called for a shift in how society views gender roles, particularly in marriage and parenting. In a recent statement, Edu emphasized the importance of shared responsibilities between men and women in raising children, challenging traditional perceptions that women should bear the primary burden of childcare while juggling their careers.
“I no longer celebrate women who are expected to manage both their careers and the entire responsibility of raising children,” Edu stated. “Images of women backing a child while holding another and delivering a speech no longer resonate with me.”
Edu expressed concern over the sidelining of fathers in parenting, arguing that both parents have an equal role in nurturing their children. “It takes two people to create a child, and it should take both to raise them. If a mother has a major presentation or event, the father should step up and care for the children—just as women are expected to do when men have important engagements,” she added.
She went on to highlight that women’s careers should not be treated as secondary to their domestic roles. “We can no longer normalize scenarios where men are excused from childcare during significant moments in their careers, while women are expected to balance both. Men’s ability to raise children is often underestimated, but they are just as capable,” Edu said, urging society to allow fathers to take an active role in bonding with and caring for their children.
Edu concluded by stating that the era of women overburdening themselves to prove their worth is over. “Both men and women bring children into the world, and both must be at the forefront of raising them.”
Her remarks challenge the conventional narratives around parenting, calling for a more balanced and equitable approach that recognizes the essential roles of both parents in the upbringing of children.
Anthony Emeka Nwosu