By Ogochukwu Isioma in Benin City
The Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu, has called for more recognition and accolades for fathers over their roles in nation building, saying, just like mothers, fathers too deserve praises for their sacrifices especially in keeping the family and society together.
Shaibu made the call on Sunday at the yearly event marking the feast of Catholic Men Organisation (CMO)’s Patron Saint of the St Paul’s Catholic Church, Benin City, in commemoration of this year’s Father’s Day celebration.
He said, “It is important that mothers should always appreciate their husbands at home. They should also amplify this, with the children. Mothers should be able to organise the family in such a way that fathers are appreciated back home.
“As the head of the family, we fathers should also sustain that headship and not be autocratic at home. We should love our wives. Even in the Bible, God charged us men to love our wives, while women are to be submissive.”
The Deputy Governor, however, called on fathers to take care of their family like St. Joseph who humbled himself before the Lord and was useful to humanity during his life on Earth, while encouraging them not fail as breadwinners as well as in their marital, financial and other obligations.
On the roles of fathers in nation building, Shaibu noted that fathers were expected to live up to their responsibility by exhibiting exemplary conduct that would mould the children into future leaders, and discourage them from engaging in vices cable of dividing the nation.
According to him, it is the responsibilities of fathers, as the first teachers of their children, to teach them, from early childhood to become clear-thinking and enlightened citizens who participate in decisions concerning society.
Shaibu noted: ”The society is in dire need of role models. We understand the current situation in the country, especially with the removal of fuel subsidy, which has imposed untold hardship on all of us.
“As fathers, this is the time to think deeper and be more active and work together with our wives. Palliative or not, what is critical is contentment. We should be able to diversify to provide for the family, and make the society a better place.
“Let’s take advantage of technology; think outside our salary, and beyond our take home by doing the right thing, and engaging in other positive commercial and legal activities that can augment our salaries.”
He prayed for grace for fathers to be able to overcome the current situation, while calling on mothers and the children to be patient with them especially with the present predicament which has brought more burden on every father, saying, “may God bless the works of our hands.”
