Nigerian Men Talk About Vasectomies

A vasectomy is a permanent contraceptive method where a male’s vas deferens is cut and tied or sealed to prevent sperm from getting to the urethra, to stop the man from ejaculating and fertilizing the female’s egg. Whew, that’s a lot of grammar. In simpler English, the tube that carries sperm from the testicles is tied up or sealed in order to prevent the sperm from reaching the penis. This procedure is mostly permanent although it may be reversed in some cases.

Men are increasingly considering vasectomies as a contraceptive method. For the most part, they do it to take the burden off their female partners who have historically been expected to use birth control methods that give them nasty side effects and some times, permanent damage. Vasectomies are generally safe and not as painful as most people think it is. I talked to 5 Nigerian men about vasectomies. They had some pretty interesting answers.

Paul, 38
I decided to get a vasectomy because we were done havings kids and no longer wanted to worry about falling pregnant. It’s less invasive for a guy to get a vasectomy than for a woman to undergo tubal ligation (tying up the fallopian tubes). It’s also way cheaper and requires much shorter recovery time. It’s not even comparable.

I had it done three years ago at my doctor’s office. It was a keyhole surgery (a minimally invasive surgery that’s carried out through a small incision in the skin) with local anaesthesia. I was chatting with the doctor the whole time while he had my balls in his hands. The procedure took all of 30 minutes. I had it done on a Friday and only took Monday off work (because its a desk job). I was cleared to return to the gym after a week.

I don’t regret it at all because it was an informed decision. Also, my wife put her body through the trials of pregnancy and childbirth. Getting a vasectomy done is such a small hit to take for the team. It’s even a bonus because you can have sexy time without condoms or fear of getting pregnant.

When people hear that I underwent the procedure, they’re generally chill about it. Except Nigerian men. They act like they’ve seen a ghost or I called their mother a witch. I can see them fighting the urge to grab their balls to ensure it’s still there. There’s no regret for me. I have two kids. I don lock shop. My team has retired my jersey. Full MVP status.

Hamza, 31
I’ve setup a vasectomy appointment for November. I don’t have any children and I’m perfectly fine with the prospect of never having one. My girlfriend is completely fine with it although I dare not tell my mother.

Ejiro, 47
I got a vasectomy six years ago. The birth of my third child was a shock to my wife and me, so we immediately decided that I would undergo a vasectomy. It wasn’t a big deal; I’m a doctor and I knew exactly what to expect. I was told it would be potentially painful but it really wasn’t. I was prescribed painkillers and I stopped taking them about ten days after the procedure.

I had it done here in the UK so it was pretty straightforward and, more importantly, free. Asides my wife, not even my close friends and family know that I underwent the procedure. Even if they did, they wouldn’t be surprised I had it done.

Now that I’ve had it done, I’ve got complete sexual freedom. I’m not bothered about whether my wife remembers to take her pills. I’m happy knowing that I’ve completed my family size. It is something I should have taken responsibility for and done a long time ago.

Sam, 32
I’m yet to get a vasectomy but my wife and I are in agreement on this, and I’ve spoken with a urologist. I’ve decided to get this done in November (that’s when our baby will be born) because my wife and I got married knowing that we’re both AS. You might think it’s a big risk but we both knew what we were getting into. Before we got married, we both wanted a child.

When she got pregnant, we took a test to confirm the genotype of the baby, and if she turned out to be SS, we would have aborted immediately. Luckily, she’s AS.

I’m a health worker, so I have experienced firsthand what women go through with birth control and family planning. I’ve seen how it messes them up in different ways like weight gain and constant bleeding. I’ve decided to take that pain off my wife and get a vasectomy done.

Ayo, 34
I’ve decided to get one. I’m married and I have 2 boys that mean the world to me. People ask if I don’t want to try again for a girl and I wonder if they will help me cater for that extra mouth in this Nigerian economy.