FATHERS DAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS
BEN USANG
DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BROTHERS AND SISTER,LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
It is with much pleasure and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that I present to you the Keynote Address of this year’s Father’s day celebration.
Father’s Day is a day which rightly complements the popular day celebrating mothers known as Mother’s day. The day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood paternal bonds and the influence of father’s in society.
Father’s day originated in the United States of America and has been officially celebrated there on the third Sunday in June since 1966. Other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, France, India, China, Japan and even our nation, Nigeria also mark the day on the third Sunday of June.
However, the day is also widely celebrated on other days such as February 23rd and the First Sunday in June in other countries of the world.
In different nations, irrespective of the date of the event, the occasion provides a rare opportunity for children and even mothers to pay tribute to fathers and express their love for them through greeting cards, text messages, emails, phone calls, special visitation, gifts etc.
The day also provides the opportunity to motivate uncommitted and even irresponsible fathers to their duties as fathers and perhaps cause them to reflect on the performance of their parental responsibilities.
Fatherhood has been very often misunderstood and poorly celebrated across the globe especially in our nation, Nigeria. In Contemporary times, we now have single fathers due to several reasons including divorce or death of the Mother or even due to premarital sex or child abandonment by the mother. Sadly there are now many fathers who have abandoned their responsibilities due to economic reasons or irreconcilable differences with the mothers or some do not, for cultural or other reasons, understand what being a father is all is about, beyond just being responsible for a pregnancy.
I use this opportunity to give Kudos to the many fathers who are still committed to their financially, emotionally, religious, moral and other responsibilities towards their children.
They toil to bring income for the care of their children; they defend the human dignity of their children, the act as positive role models to those children and find time to be personally involved in the training of their children to be equipped for society and towards Godly Living.
It is expedient at this point to attempt a definition of fatherhood which is a major concept for today’s celebration.
While Fatherhood will mean many things to different persons depending on their personal experience and worldview of fatherhood, I will subscribe however to the definition which states that Fatherhood is the state or responsibility of being a father. It is also the state of having the qualities or spirit of a father. These definitions though will require that we probe further into an acceptable definition of who is a father.
For the purpose of this address, I will derive my definition of FATHER from the Greek word ‘’Pater” which means Father; one who imparts life and is committed to it; a progenitor, bringing into being to pass on the potential for likeness. It can also refer to a begetter, originator, progenitor – one in "intimate connection and relationship"
As Society continues to evolve with the abundance of many single fathers and those affected by harsh economic environment making it difficult for them to discharge their roles despite their unreserved dedication to their family, the government and every stakeholders including the church must make the needed policy provision to support single and economically disadvantaged fathers to reduce the burden and stress they go through in raising their children without the complimentary support of a mother. There must be a new and holistic understanding of fatherhood by society whereby foster fathers, step fathers, God fathers and even Male Pastors and Teachers who also fulfill the role of fatherhood are given the appropriate recognition as Fathers alongside the biological Fathers.
I cannot end this address without wishing all the fathers and potential fathers a Happy Father’s day. I fondly remember also my dear Father who brought me into this world and cared for me dearly as a son but above all I am thankful to our Heavenly father for the love bestowed upon us his children. I love you my Almighty Father, in You I live and have my Being.
God Bless us all.
THE TEXT OF A KEYNOTE ADDRESS WRITTEN AND PRESENTED BY LEADER BEN USANG IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 2017 FATHER’S DAY