As a bachelor who shuttles between one gathering of singles to the other, I am appalled by the current argument on why successful women are not married, especially in Africa.

The single women, independent, successful women argue they lack empowered men or courageous ones to handle their love affairs.

There are many men for such women. The problem is the women are consigned to single-dom due to wrong timing, double standards and acquired arrogance.

Let me start with wrong timing. Some spend their 20s and early 30s — the prime dating stage — either chasing careers or academic papers. Some put in 14 hours in the office every day and have no time for dating.

By the time they realise a corporate title does not always guarantee happiness, they are in their late 30s or early 40s. By then, the good men have either married or given up on marriage. The ones left are losers, heartbreakers or hangers-on.

These are the men successful women find in the market. It is not that there are no good men — the women simply come too late.

Ends