By Deborah Titilope Olubodede
Happy Father’s Day to every responsible male in the world. I know many people will start having this question in their heart: why the word RESPONSIBLE? Yes! Responsible male. Why? Because Fatherhood is the state of being a father. Fatherhood is a ministry and not just about having children. It takes consciousness and intentional commitment to be a father. It is expedient that every man thinks twice before having children. It takes a very selfless man to provide for and take responsibility for the family.
Biologically, a father is a giver. The first thing a father gives is life because without a father’s contribution there wouldn’t be a fertilisation that brings about a child.
It is so funny that we always celebrate Mother’s Day but we tend to celebrate Father’s Day once in a while. Mentally, we think mothers are the only ones taking care of the children, whereas, in the inner room it has been the father and they will never show it outside.
I remember when I was young, my mother was the one that got us clothes and whatever we needed. I never knew that my father was the one providing the money my mum used to get us the stuff. When my mum told him we needed things, he gave the money to my mother, though, of course my mum would add her own money to it but still, my dad still carried the upper hand but I never knew until my mum told us our dad did this and that.
I wouldn’t blame the world for thinking of such, why? Because of the proximity of the mother to the children. She has the power to make the children believe whatever she wants. So, a child tends to believe that it’s his or her mum who does all the payments, buying and treatings. This is because the mother never for once told him or her that it’s her husband that made it possible.
Majority of the fathers out there remain uncelebrated because their children were not given a perfect perspective about them.
On the other hand, a lot of men out there care less about their children and push the responsibility on the mother and as a mother, because she carries the child in her womb, and with what she faced, she can’t simply forsake her child, so the children tend to listen to their mother than father.
Fathers are referred to as mirrors and if indeed a father is a mirror, he should be honoured, respected, valued and loved. Once a mirror is broken, it can no longer serve its purpose, therefore it is the duty of every child to celebrate their father.
A father serves as an instructor and a trainer.
A father is a provider. He provides food and a home(i.e a peaceful place that is much more than a shelter).
He provides discipline .
A Father is a role model.
A father provides inheritance (both physical and spiritual).
Conclusively, it is not a coincidence that the Lord’s prayer started with “Our Father”, this is to tell us that the role of father cannot be overemphasised because as our heavenly father is a God to us so our earthly fathers are meant to be seen as our small gods. Therefore, they deserved to be celebrated!
