Type of Father Every Child Pray for
© Kolawole Oluwatope
Being a father is never an easy task. It is not easy being a father. Someone sometimes said, from his personal thought and experience, he noted that every child goes through for amazing stages in life where they first call father “Da-Da, second “Daddy” third as the child grow big he or she call “Dad” and last stage is a stage where the child call to ask for money! Isn’t that funny? At that stage he or she is now a big boy or girl.
These four stages are charming in the life of a child and this help in categorizing fathers into four major distinctive types which I will love to mention today. Let us quickly reveal each type.
1. “BABA NO DEY” – Absentee Father:- This is the type of father who will never stop dis-appointing in his main responsibility. The world is raising a (responsible – irresponsible) a fatherless generation. Watch the use of my word if there is anything like that “Responsible – irresponsible father”. They are responsible in the area of providing school fees but they are not aware of what class the children are talk less of knowing anything about their academic improvement. They are never present in the life of their children and out of the picture.
There are many reasons why children don’t have a father in their lives. Research findings said that, each day, 20 million children wake up without a father in their home. Isn’t that shocking? My heart breaks for the fatherless generation that is being raised in our midst.
I was told of a father who was surprised to see his 1 – year -few months – old son walking; he was never there when the child was struggling with the first step and others. Yet they lived in the same house; no off day when it comes to work – workaholic father.
In case we don’t know, studies show that the absence of the father expresses itself in male children in two very different ways: Increased aggressiveness and greater manifestations of traits in a boy that are more often associated with feminine nature, behavior, mannerism, style, or gender roles rather than with masculine nature. We have some many of people like that in our society.
Aside these; cases of rapists about 60 percent from single-parent homes, 75 percent suicide cases were from broken homes. Girls become sexually active fast and more likely to have out-of-wedlock children.
I pray that God will raise men that we work until the hearts of the fathers are turned back to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers; so that destruction will not strike our land. Malachi 4:6, Luke 1:17
2. “BABA NA MISTAKE” – The Inexperienced Father :- The inexperienced father is present at home unlike “baba no dey” kind of Father, but he is short of ideas and what next to do. He is not in connection with his children, not attending to needs, or their interests. He saw being present at home as normal routine but not knowing his roles and what to do when it comes to fathering. No connection at all!
King Sunny Ade alongside with Onyeka Onwenu sang a song some time ago;
Song – Having baby no be joke o,
You go feed them,
You go give them clothes,
Give them LOVE TOO
If you never ready to carry the load o….
Help me finish the song.Lol
The song simply mean, if you cannot play the role, do not play the game!
And as a result of his lack of experience, there is significant conflict between him and the children. The outcome of this is that his heart o is turned against the heart of his children; and this leads to destructions.
3. “BABA WEY DEY THERE” – Authentic Father :- This is the father “wey in head dey there”. Do you remember this popular advert of one of the brand of noddles; Mama do good ooo, she do good!
The Authentic Father is home, connected with his children, friendly, fond of his children, involving in their academics, play games together with his team, and is very present in their lives but no any spiritual impact in the lives of the children.
The Authentic Father establishes security for his children, provides for them, is an admirer of his children, restraints his children, correct his children in love and is seeking and building a long-lasting relationship with his children.
The Authentic Fathers do not annoy the children; but never bring them up in the training and instruction of God. Ephesian 6:4.
With more of Authentic Fathers there is hope of good world.
4. “BABA SUPER” – A Superhero Father :- He is an Extra Ordinary and Excellent Father. Let me qualify him the more with these adjectives: outstanding, exceptional, excellent, tremendous father etc. Such a father is God kind of father.
God said,” shall He keep back from Abraham what He was planned to do? Abraham is going to become great and large nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him. Yes, I have settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe god’s way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that god can complete in Abraham what he promised him.” Genesis 18:17 – 19.
Mark the bolded sentences! The “Ogbonge” Fathers are not just authentic, home, not a home lesson teacher, nor a give us our daily bread father. No! it goes beyond that! An Excellent Father is typical example of Father of Faith Abraham in who God has confidence in that surely he will introduce his children to His way; he seeks for the salvation of his children. He is a lover of God and he will ensure that the children and the family as well love God.
An Excellent Father brings Jesus into his marriage, parenting, work, and hobbies and also brings his marriage, parenting, work, and hobbies to Jesus. The Excellent Father seeks repeated encounters with Jesus.
God is looking for that Excellent Father in every man. He is looking for fathers that will teach their children and grow them in His way.
We all need to pray and ask for grace to be an Excellent Father who will leave behind good legacy of faith. What you are doing does matter, and growing as a father is vital in leading your children today.
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