8/14/2019 The Problem of Nigeria- Missing Fathers

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The problem of Nigeria - missing fathers

http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/26881/1/The-problem-of-Nigeria---missing-fathers/Page1.html

By Olufemi Fasanya

Published on 28/11/2009

The cry of God in the Garden of Eden was, Adam where are you? Adam was a husband; he was going to

be a father someday and the progenitor of the entire human race.

The cry of God in the Garden of Eden was, Adam where are you? Adam was ahusband; he was going to be a father someday and the progenitor of the entirehuman race. If I am going to say that word in the present generation, I will say,fathers where are you? If I am going to say to this nation, I will say, fathers whereare you? Interestingly it wasnt Adam who first ate what was forbidden, yet he wasthe one who was called first because he was the one who has the responsibility toguide and guard his family. If he fails in that responsibility, all hell will break loose.

I have heard people lament on the problem of Nigeria. They all blame the leadershipof the nation. However, I defer from their conclusion. I believe that the problem ofNigeria is the problem of missing fathers; men who have abandon their roles, whohave watered values that strengthen a child and the nation. Men who rarely havetime to take care of their children because they have concluded that its theresponsibility of their wives and some other persons to do so; men who love theirchildren to the point that they become of no use to them and the nation that is theirsby birth.

There was a time that if a child drove a big car into town and his father interviewed

him and discovered that it was got in an ill-manner, that child would be disownedbecause people cherished an unblemished family name. There was a time thatparents encouraged their children to work and be responsible compared to somefathers who are only concerned about a child bringing in money, irrespective of whatthey do for a living. So, youll find some of our young ladies travelling abroad forprostitution. Our able bodied men involved in drugs trafficking and our youths sittingin cyber cafes looking for a mungun to hit.

We may blame the leadership of this great nation, However, we should find out whothe fathers of the people are? We need to find out the values that they are broughtup with before we condemn them. How can a man say that is my son- the governor,yet he siphons the money of his state into his private account without his beendisowned for bringing shame to their family? I really dont know how a man can be

proud to say his son is a senator, yet, the guy hasnt done anything tangible exceptsiphoning his constituencys money. How can a father say my son is the chairman ofa local government and his local government is still local despite the money thatgoes there and the agony of the people who live there because of lack ofperformance? Someone said: "The father of an area boy is an area father. I concurto that. If the father of a condemned robber cannot raise his head except in shame,these fathers are not fit to raise their heads in the society with pride.

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I see some things these days that scare me. Some fathers dont care how theirchildren make money, all they want is that they make it. Its scary when a childgrows up with the feeling that the wealth of our great nation is a national cake. Whywill he not have this sense, when he sees his dad embezzle money with impunity,yet, hes still walking free. How can he be law-abiding when his father is above thelaw? Why should he be interested in bettering the lot of his fellowmen, when he sees

that daddy had made a good chunk of money by taking what should have been spenton many all to himself? Please prove me wrong; men of power usually have the mostlawless children around.

Where are fathers like Tafawa Balewa, who served this nation selflessly; not bringingreligious sentiment to governance? Where are men like Nnamdi Azikwe, ObafemiAwolowo and the present governor of Lagos State, Raji Fashola? Men who are moreinterested in leaving a legacy behind; men who want to see the development of thisgreat nation. It scares me the kind of leadership that will take over in generations tocome with the horrible values some fathers are instilling in their children. I dare tosay this: if fathers take the responsibility of teaching their children values that theylive by example with, then I can boldly say that there is a great future for this nation.

Femi Fasanya can be contacted on

08037257479

www.relationship-daddy.blogspot.com