By Maria Famakinwa
Potbelly men in Nigeria are believed to be financially buoyant. So, having a pot belly is perceived as a status symbol of wealth and success. Men with protruding belly are accorded some level of respect in any social gathering. People see them as men of timber and caliber, going by their commanding statures. Simply put, they enjoy the respect of many judging by their bulging stomachs, which is believed to be a sign that they are comfortable and have more than enough.
Not many understand that aside the respect their protruding bellies bring to them, they are being denied some pleasure of life especially when it comes to enjoying sexual intimacy. Some of them who spoke with The Hope revealed their pains as they wished they could change their physical appearance.
One of them, an interior decorator, Mr Isiaka Anifowose, explained that his major concern was how to regain flat tummy. He said: “When I got married three years ago, I was handsome and smart that ladies looked at me with admiration. My belly started bulging out a year after my marriage and all efforts to reduce it proved abortive.
“I feel embarrassed the way ladies stare at my belly. Some jokingly called me a pregnant man which makes me hate myself the more. I can’t even go on many rounds of sex as I used to. My wife has been complaining about this. My fear now is not to lose her to men who can perform better because women are unpredictable. Though, people who knew me before with flat tummy do hail me that I am now well-to-do, my doctor has advised me to make sure that I do all I could to reduce my potbelly to enjoy good health,” he said.
Sharing a similar view, a commercial driver, Mr Omotayo Adeyemi, who blamed his potbelly on intake of beer disclosed that the more he vowed not to take beer again, the more bottles of beer he consumed.
On the challenges faced with his bulging stomach he said: “People do say that men with belly fat are rich, but I can tell you categorically that it is a lie. As I speak with you, I am so indebted to many people aside servicing some loans. Another disadvantage of having a potbelly is that one is always a target in case of armed robbery attack. The day burglers numbering about five forced their ways into my compound and ordered everyone out, as soon as they sighted my big tummy, they pounced on me. When they asked for money and I told them that I didn’t have, they beat me blue-black. It was God that saved me.
“Excessive snoring is another problem facing men battling potbellies like me. My wife and children usually complain about this. The one that is most painful to me is that my protruding belly is denying me sexual enjoyment. I noticed that it affects the size of my penis, the major reason my wife no longer enjoy me in bed. As a commercial driver we unwind hanging out with ladies, but some of them have abandoned me for others on the ground that I am dull in bed. One of the ladies told me that my big belly denied her the sexual feeling. My wife had one time lodged a similar complaint, but she has no choice but to be managing me. I am working towards making my belly go down, I pray God help me,” he said.
In the submission of a civil servant who simply gave his name as Lawani, he inherited his pot belly from his late father and that all efforts to correct it has not been yielding results.
The man who further revealed that his big belly had denied him corporate dressing said: “as an accountant, I am supposed to be on suit most times, but my protruding belly will not allow it. Even if I force myself to put on a suit, it doesn’t fit me anymore. Waist belts usually help to hold the trouser firm and beautify the dress, but in my own case, my belly pushes the belt down and rest on it as you can see. What they use to describe me in my office is a man with big belly which is very demeaning.
“One of my children once asked me if I was pregnant. I don’t drink alcohol or take beer yet the belly does keep protruding. I visited a medical doctor who advised me to exercise 30 minutes daily, I have since keyed into it but it is not as easy as I thought. Another thing that is giving me a serious concern is that I am lacking in my conjugal responsibility. If your wife can be telling you that you are not as sexually active as before, you should know that there is problem. Before she actually said this, I have observed that the fulfillment and satisfaction I used to have after sexual intimacy was no longer there, I become easily tired. I equally observed that the bigger my belly, the smaller my organ. My big tummy contends for space with my penis. I can hardly touch my toes. I opened up to another medical doctor who also advised me on regular exercise. I have been doing it without result, honestly, I am tired,” he lamented.
Another man with potbelly, who simply gave his name as Oluwasegun, also revealed that ladies are averse to pot-bellied men, because their protruding tummies make copulation a difficult task and added that those who still claimed to love men with bulging stomachs are doing so because of financial benefit.
His words: “If there is anything giving me nightmare, it is my big belly. Most food I was advised to eat to aid flat tummy are beyond me. I am also not helping the matter. Last year October, I was warned to avoid red meat and eat more of vegetables and fruits which I was able to obey, but as soon as Christmas was approaching, I went back to my vomit. The joy of celebrating Christmas took over me that I ate more than enough of almost everything. This added to my already big tummy which is now difficult to reduce.”
On whether potbelly actually reduces penis size said: “It is a general knowledge that men with bulging stomachs have the size of their sexual organs reduced. In an extreme case, the penis size shrinks. Exposed ladies don’t go for men with protruding stomachs except if they want only the man’s money. Most times, I ask myself the essence of getting married if I cannot enjoy my marital life due to my potbelly.
“Medical experts told me that one of the known factors that contribute to potbelly is low testosterone level which causes low libido. They added that it becomes even more dangerous when a potbellied man has health risks like diabetes because diabetes is a known cause of erectile dysfunction. I am keeping to all medical advises to reduce my big tummy in order to enjoy my sexual life which is my major concern,” he said.
However, a trader who simply wants to be identified as Baba Akanni, said that he was not bothered about his potbelly that instead, he thanks God for having it.
His words: “You should understand that having a pot belly adds to one’s prestige and gets people’s attention in any gathering. It is a sign that I am well fed and comfortable. I don’t see it as having any health risk as many thought because it is not giving me any problem. I take beer and there are some men with big bellies who don’t take beer. There is an age a man will attain that the belly will start protruding naturally. I don’t even pray it goes down because many will think that I am sick.”
When told that taking beer was risky he disagreed and said “there are some medical conditions that alcohol or beer can cure. Forget what people are saying, it is one thing that will kill a man. Taking beer makes my day,” he insisted.
The Hope
