Lawyer and relationship counsellor, Dolly Ohanyere, has identified broken family systems as one of the root causes of Nigeria’s social challenges, arguing that efforts to build a better society will achieve little unless greater attention is paid to strengthening homes, marriages and individual identity.

Speaking at the launch of The Becoming Collection, a six-book series on identity, purpose, relationships and healing in Lagos, Ohanyere said the quality of a nation’s leadership and institutions is ultimately shaped by the values formed within the family.

The collection comprises, It Was Always There: Uncover Your Purpose; Seen from the Start: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Their Child Uncover Their Purpose Early; The Mirror: Reflecting on Me Before Choosing Us; Meaningful Choosing: The Blueprint of Purposeful Union; Wells and Encounters: Finding God in the Middle of What Broke You; and Wells and Encounters Daily Devotional.

According to her, broken homes often produce broken individuals, who in turn build unhealthy marriages and raise children carrying unresolved emotional and psychological burdens into adulthood.

She said, “The family is not just where we begin; it is where we are formed. How we love, manage conflict, handle money, relate with people and even see ourselves is shaped first at home.”

Warning that the consequences extend beyond individual households, she added: “Broken family systems produce broken individuals. Broken individuals produce broken marriages. Broken marriages produce broken children. Broken children grow to become the leaders, legislators, judges, teachers and parents of the next generation. The state of our nation is a direct reflection of the state of our families.”

She argued that rebuilding the country must begin with restoring the family, insisting that lasting national transformation cannot be achieved without addressing the foundation upon which society is built.
“The challenges we see in society today cannot be fixed without going back to where they begin, which is the home,” she said.

Ohanyere explained that the six-book collection was conceived as a practical resource to help individuals discover their identity before making major life decisions, particularly marriage, stressing that healthy relationships are built by people who first understand themselves.

She maintained that many people make decisions from fear, loneliness, trauma or societal pressure rather than from a place of wholeness, adding that identity remains the foundation upon which purpose, relationships and leadership are built.

The collection comprises six books covering purpose discovery, parenting, self-examination before marriage, purposeful relationships and emotional healing. She noted that the two books on purpose discovery were made available free of charge to encourage wider access, saying she did not want the discovery of purpose to become something people could not afford.

“I did not write these books to make money. I believe they carry something transformational. They have the potential to change how people think about themselves before choosing a partner, how families are built and, ultimately, how communities and nations are shaped,” she said.

Ohanyere also drew from her personal experience, revealing that one of the books, ‘Wells and Encounters,’ was inspired by one of the most difficult periods in her marriage. She said although she and her husband experienced a serious marital crisis that nearly ended in separation, the experience became a lesson in healing, restoration and personal growth.

Maintaining that the project goes beyond publishing books, Ohanyere urged churches, counsellors, schools, families and community leaders to adopt the resources in marriage preparation, counselling and mentoring programmes.

Managing Director, Godrej Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kayode Oladapo said the Becoming Collection was written to help people show up well on the inside, hence the reason for supporting and being a part of the launch focused on investing in humans.

“The Becoming Collection makes the same investment from within. A person who knows who they are, walks differently, carries themselves differently, chooses differently and leads differently. That person – whole, grounded, and fully themselves, is exactly who Godrej has always been building for.”