Do Nigerians really celebrate Father’s Day?

According to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, after the success obtained by Anna Jarvis with the promotion of Mother’s Day in the United States, some individuals, such as Sonora Dodd, wanted to create similar holidays for other family members, and Father’s Day was the choice most likely to succeed. There were other people in the US […]

According to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, after the success obtained by Anna Jarvis with the promotion of Mother’s Day in the United States, some individuals, such as Sonora Dodd, wanted to create similar holidays for other family members, and Father’s Day was the choice most likely to succeed. There were other people in the US who independently thought of “Father’s Day,” but the credit for the modern holiday is often given to Sonora Dodd of Central Methodist Episcopal Church, who was the driving force behind its introduction.
This event has become a global phenomenon as it is now marked as a special day to appreciate fathers all over the world and Nigerians are not left out of the event. The most recent one was marked last Sunday being the third Sunday of June; it is a day set aside to honor the fathers and make them feel like kings for that special day by their children, wards and wives, thanking them for all their contributions, keeping up to their responsibilities and playing their role as the head. On such a day, mothers, children or wards add spice to the event by cooking special delicacies for fathers, presenting them with gifts either in cash or kind, sending them goodwill messages, especially for those in faraway places and it usually begins in the church with thanksgiving services, followed by a general reception organised by fathers themselves in a designated location.
‘Lifextra’ takes a look at how the event is celebrated in Nigeria and if wives, children and wards pay more attention to Mother’s Day than they do to Father’s Day. Here are responses from a cross section of people we spoke with.
Tehila Adelakun, a student, says she pays more attention to mother’s day celebration because children tend to be closer to their mothers than their fathers. “Though I didn’t get the chance to celebrate my dad due to his early demise, I still would have celebrated my mum more than my dad as no love can be equalized to that of the mother,” Adelakun explained.
A security personnel, who asked not to be named, said he appreciates both parents as he makes it a duty to get them gifts on their days of celebration. “I appreciate my father for his participation in bringing me up, so I see father’s day as a unique day in which I can tell my daddy, thank you for all you have done in my life, which of course is worth celebrating. I’m not biased when it comes to celebrating my parents, I love both of them; my daddy provided and my mum took care of me by raising me up, at least she carried me for nine months,” he said cheerfully.
“I celebrate my daddy by buying him gifts but not just that, whenever I celebrate any of my parents, it is like I celebrate them both as I always get them something they would always remember,” he adds.
Adamma Nwodo, a 28 year old lady, gives kudos to mothers, saying mothers are peculiar when compared to fathers who she believes do not usually have time for their children. “Yes, I pay more attention to mother’s day because mothers are peculiar people with a loving, caring and humble spirit. As a lady, there are things I can discuss with my mum which I will never do with my father; mothers have listening ears and pay more attention to children’s care and welfare. Sure I do celebrate my father by buying him gifts and most times, I prepare his favorite meals to cheer him up because he is my hero and mentor,” she said playfully adding that: “I gave him a new phone as a gift during last Sunday’s celebration.” 
Uchenna Wilson, an IT consultant, says: “I don’t even know that Father’s Day celebration exists except that of mothers, may be because I’m closer to my mum than my father. Honestly, I pay more attention to the Mother’s Day celebrations.”
Mrs. Patricia Osama, a mother of five, seems to agree with Adelakun and Wilson as she believes that children tend to celebrate mothers more because they are more emotionally attached to children than fathers. Osama says she celebrates Father’s Day by accompanying her husband for thanksgiving in the church and afterwards prepares his favorite meal to mark the event.
Michael Obasi believes that since God has placed the responsibility of fatherhood on the men, they should perform their duties to their families. He adds that it is not only having children that makes one a father as it is not only the biological children that can see you as a father: “You can be a father to people in your mosque, church, the organisation where you work and even to the nation as a whole. And a lot is expected of you. Your ability to portray good leadership makes you a father and worthy of being celebrated which adds more grease to your elbows as a man. It gladdens my heart when I’m been celebrated, I received a new phone, clothes and those who could not afford to get me gifts texted me.”
On why children seem to be more engrossed with Mother’s Day celebration, Steve Oluyombo attributes it to the emotional bond that exists between mothers and their children as they are the care-givers who nurture the children. He says: “Children usually take Mother’s Day seriously but I have taken it as one of my responsibilities to make sure children give honour to whom honour is due. They should honour their fathers as family head and this does not mean the mothers should be disrespected as it is when the head functions well that other parts of the body function well. So as the head, when I do well, the others do well too. The mother is my helper and when I’m honoured it goes for her as well.”
Oluyombo added that: “I feel happy when I’m celebrated as a father because it shows that the children recognise the impact I as a father has on them. My son got me a gold wristwatch this time around and I’m grateful to God for the gift of being a father.”
Prosper Isimchei, a clergyman and also a father, opines that the significance of Father’s Day celebration is to remind fathers about their responsibilities to their wives, children and also to the nation at large as stipulated by God. He reminded fathers of the injunction in the holy book which says that a man that cannot provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever. The clergyman urged fathers not to forget their responsibilities, as some fathers have now formed the habit of making the mothers breadwinners of the family instead of being the helpmates they are created to be by God.
Isimchei added that fathers should remember that they are loved by their children and wives, as such should be leaders where ever they find themselves.
“Whatever be the case, giving honor to whom honor is due is one thing that cannot be over-looked, as such let’s celebrate fathers as the head and the mothers as the neck bearing in mind their roles in our lives as individuals and remembering that without the head, the neck cannot stand and vice versa” the cleric advised.