VERY URGENT FAO:
PRESIDENT & COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES ALHAJI UMAR MUSA YAR’ADUA
SENATE PRESIDENT DAVID MARK &
LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PATRICIA OLUBUNMI ETTEH

RE: FATHERS’ DAY: – REQUEST FOR A MOTION TO BE TABLED AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN NIGERIA
I write as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the spirit of reforming and repositioning Nigeria for God’s Favour and global recognition as standard bearers of excellence in governance, leadership, fairness, justice, equity, transparency, accountability, advocacy and all that is good in human endeavours.
“Father's Day is a primarily secular holiday inaugurated in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and parenting by males, and to honor and commemorate fathers and forefathers. Father's Day is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide, and typically involves gift-giving to fathers and family-oriented activities.” (Wikipedia).
This concept is self explanatory. I am making a specific case for Nigeria in this regard. All over the world, most nations taking the lead in successful nation building to date have recognized the need to accord mothers and fathers a place in the psyche of their nations for the above mentioned reasons.
Countries that recognize and celebrate Fathers’ Day include: Argentina, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Zimbabwe. Nigeria must surely now join these forward looking nations in such celebrations.
It may well be that we have been celebrating Fathers’ Day in our homes, pirating the third Sunday of June with the above mentioned nations and others with different dates, however, Nigeria needs to make this official nationally, for the sake of posterity. It will be therefore on record that such a recognition was effected in our generation. I will likewise request that Mothering Sunday, celebrated as largely a Church event (Anglican), be made official as Mothers’ Day since a date has already been set.
This is a human matter worthy of note. It should be seen as a national issue, a secular issue that cuts across all strata of society, for which all our kinsmen and friends globally will join us in celebrating.
The role of the father in emerging modern societies is fast receding to the background and in some cases has receded. Hence, the increase in the tremendous confusion and chaos that attends an ever increasing number of families. The family has changed before our very eyes and unless something is done to re-establish the Family in our societies in Nigeria, we may see an ever increasing trend in the chaotic family situations.
Whilst Nigeria is notably increasing in the repositioning of our mindsets with regard to the role of women in our emerging societies, we must not allow ourselves to suffer the western world family style that has lost the family structural values to dangerous extremist anti-family, anti-men propagandists.
In the same vein, I strongly appeal to the leadership of all faiths to see this as a multi-faith issue. Likewise, for all in authority and leadership in every area of national life to embrace the proposal for national recognition of such days as Fathers’, Mothers’, Family and other days, to be recognized officially like the Children’s day etc.
Let me cease this opportunity to congratulate fathers all over our lands on this third Sunday of June for the role they play in nation building. At the same time, mothers must be very proud of their support and partnership in ensuring continuity of our family and nationhood. However, there should be a separate day for the celebration of Family. These ideas are very old indeed and offer us an opportunity to recognize the input of parents (Parenting Day can also work) to nation building for children to be encouraged into parenthood, responsibility etc.
A nation devoid of such recognitions in an official capacity readily suffers setback in family orientation without noticing visible changes for the worse until things take a terrible turn.
Finally, let me thank the proponents and executors of Mothering Sunday for a remarkable foresightedness to achieve such a wonderful national though provoking feat. God bless our mothers and I urge all to fully support and see to the realization of Fathering Sunday and or Fathers’ Day, likewise.
With these few words, Mr President, Distinguished Senators, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, Nigerians at home and abroad, permit me to strongly urge you for your support in actualizing the realization of my dream to see the above stated concept of Fathers’ Day and associated issues such as Men’s Issues (health etc.) provided for and embraced in our fatherland, Nigeria, in a formalized way.
I wish all meanwhile, a very JOYFUL FATHERS’ DAY!
May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Prophet Folayan Osekita MBA – 17 June 2007.