The Most Revd. Henry Ndukuba, Bishop of Abuja Diocese and Primate of All Nigeria, has urged fathers to lead and discharge spiritual responsibility at home in order to grow their families in the path of God.
In a message on Sunday in Abuja,to mark the 2023 Father’s Day Celebration with the theme “Transformed Fathers: Transformed Homes,” the primate urged fathers to live exemplary lives for the wife and children to emulate.
He said some fathers had relegated the responsibility of ensuring the spiritual well being of their family to the mothers, contrary to the teachings of the Bible.
He said it was the responsibility of fathers to transmit the word of God to their families.
“That is what the Bible says and expects from fathers.
“We have prayerfully chosen the theme for this year’s fathers day; this theme emphasises the connection between a person’s inner most transformation of their external environment, specifically their homes.
“The idea is that when a person experiences positive change within themselves, such as a change in attitude, behaviour, or perspective, it can lead to a corresponding change in their home environment.
” This can manifest in many ways, such as increased cleanliness, organisation and harmony within the homes,” he said.
Also the Vicar, St Phillip’s Anglican Church,Gwarinpa, Ven. Princewill Ireoba, advised men to be active and proactive in all endeavours.
He said their actions would go a long way positively or negatively in the family, society and nation at large.
“Live examplary lives, so we can build a positive nation.”
He said the church had already started preparing the youth to be responsible men in future.
“We have to catch them young, we have activities lined up for them to follow, with guidelines,” he said.
The Chairman, Men’s Fellowship of the Church, Sir Macjohn Nwaobiala, said the topic was apt and would go a long way to save homes for destructions.
He urged men to be cautious of their actions as the children were quick to pick up such characters exhibited.
“If a man acts right it goes a long way, and if he acts wrongly, it still goes and long way and may cause more problems ahead,” he said.
He said the men had x-rayed the topic and advised fathers to act right for a transformed society.
In a sermon, Rev. Gibson Udem called on Christian fathers to always be worthy of emulation in all their actions to ensure a better society and to pray always.
While expressing concern over the attitude of some fathers who were fast deviating from fatherly roles, the cleric admonished Christian fathers to always show love and provide for their families.
The cleric called on fathers to shun every form of violence against women and stressed the need for them to bring up their children in the fear of God, to enable them to become responsible citizens of the country
Meanwhile, a group,knowns as the Wise Men Fellowship of Shepherd House Assembly International Church, has said that the role of men in the family is critical in reducing the spate of societal ills.
The leader of the fellowship, Mr Innocent Agada, stated this during a talk show on the role of spiritual father, on Sunday, at a church service to mark Fathers’ day. The talk show was organized by the group.
He explained that fathers should play major roles in the moral upbringing of their children which is in line with the ‘Super Dad’ Initiative of UNICEF, conceived to highlight the importance of fatherhood.
He said that the initiative highlights the importance of love, protection and good nutrition for the healthy development of children.
”Fathers are to show love and nurture their children. If the home front is taken care of, there will be less vices,” he said.
He said that the parents, through their roles, would be able to detect negative behavioral traits and address them before they escalate and become difficult to quell.
He said that the action by the fathers would bridge the gap on the outcomes of negative influence of children in the society.
Also speaking on the role of a spiritual father, the Assistant Resident Pastor of the church, Pastor Monday Enoch, described a spiritual father as a priest over the lives of believers and helps in grooming their spiritual lives aright.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fathers day is celebrated every third Sunday of June to show gratitude for the hard work, selflessness and sacrifices of fathers.
