The issues actually breed from the fact that female children aren't always entitled to their father inheritance in most of the African culture as they believe such female would only take those fortune to her husband house
Is it ever discussed whether this is part of the problem in much of Africa in terms of economic situation?
Another important aspect is the fact that in African they believe in continuity of their heritage, like the generation names, which is actually different for a female child to keep once she get married.
Another thing I find quite silly. What does a name matter? And then, why do women need to change? Tradition - yes, but is it a tradition worth keeping because it is so valuable?
To me, I believe both are good. It is just that training a female child requires a lot from the parent, unlike a male child that can survive without much input from the parent.
This I disagree with and I think it is one of the reasons there are so many problems in the world. Men are "easy" so don't need to be parented as well as girls - yet they inherit everything??
Let me start from the last notion. The reason why I said female children require much attention is that. A female can be abused easily. I'm sure if you are to send your female child on an errand, you would feel more worried as to whether she is safe or not compare to a male child particularly in the part of the world.
In this part of the world, name is very important as it makes it easy for us to identify one another so as not to Marry from the same family. African value culture more than anything as there are some traditional women who would not dare to do or come close like a family of a masquerade.
It is not actually in term of economics they just feel women would waste the resources. Before educating a female child in Africa, it is seen as wasteful as they often believe she would end up in the kitchen, but time are changing, and people are also changing with it. Even in African now some wife are using their husband and their father names together like compound name.