MY WEEKEND INSIGHTS 04/02/2023
THE UNFORTUNATE RISING NUMBER OF IRRESPONSIBLE FATHERS
Last week, I shared about the worrying rate of moral degeneration among the young African populace. To think of this as a ticking time bomb would be an understatement, very tough times we live in today that any responsible African would/should be concerned. But hey, make no mistake. This whole LGBT wave isn’t all, there’s another boiling volcano on our hands-the ever rising number of irresponsible fathers.
Just yesterday, I read about Mr. Musa Hasahya who admits he has lived an irresponsible lifestyle. While at it, he’s fathered 102 children from different women, 12 to be precise. His current daily struggles are well documented, from failing to provide for his family to finding it hard to give the children quality time. Look, i am not here to condemn Musa who at least makes effort but does struggle to provide for his family but today i look to decry the number of men who have abandoned their children. They go about sleeping with young girls and either deny or refuse to take responsibility of the subsequent pregnancies. Others have (due to family conflicts or any other challenges) left their families and created other families. History passed on to us had it that women used to temporarily leave their families due to conflict, today it’s the men who leave. At least, most Women would leave and come back (the motivation mostly being to raise the Children they helped bring to this world but nowadays men leave, and they don’t look back. When two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers – so says an old adage, and yes indeed it’s the young girls and boys suffering due to conflicts at home. By the way, small or big but every home has its own conflicts. We need to seriously advocate for conflict management amongst couples of the generation.
Why am writing all this? In my quest to raise a fearless crop of a Purpose driven generation at Young and Flourishing, I encounter many young people who have unfortunately been denied the chance to flourish under the counsel, guidance of their fathers. So the deficiency causes them to seek (a) father figure(s) to meet that need in their lives. Not that their fathers are dead, but they have long been away, abandoned their biggest responsibility here. In January 2023 alone, i have crossed paths, shared space with 7 young people who are struggling with their mothers because their fathers left them and are not providing.
Men where are you? should some be called donors? -how sad! You can’t be called a father when you are not taking care of your seed. Fathers share same title with God, God is called our father because He provides our needs, He protects His children, He is a merciful and a gracious God, He is always available at our point of need. That is what a father does. If you think you are a father think about the attributes of God to help you be a better father. It’s so hurting watching a teenager breaks down into tears right in my office.
sabiiti10@gmail.com