Father’s Day: LAAF Celebrate The Unseen Sacrifices of Fathers | ClipTV Online

Just as women or children experience abuse, men do too. Report has it that men could be in abusive relationship and will never speak up. To Celebrate the 2024 Father’s Day, these and other challenges faced by men and fathers were discussed in the maiden edition of Dad Hero Conference, Celebrating and Honoring the Unseen Sacrifices of Fathers as organized by Life After Abuse Foundation (LAAF).

Abuse

There are different forms and shapes of abuse experienced by men but in many cases, they find an alibi. These escape route could be drinking of alcohol taking drugs, watching pornography, isolating themselves from friends and other loved ones and some other ways.

These addictive devices, seen as escape route usually leads to mental health challenges as explained by Dr. Dami Adeyemi-Levites, a medical practitioner and consultant.

Escape Route

“Addiction is like an escape route that fathers actually take to escape from realities of life”, he said.

“When unable to pay their children school fees, unable to feed the children or take care of their wives, they start taking alcohol or drugs to forget their sorrows. Sometimes it is also as a result of a broken system where they came from”, Dr. Dami explained.

He further stated that some men get into addiction because their fathers were addicted. Dr. Dami resound Ed that there is hope either way. He explained that recovery start with acknowledging there’s an issue to resolve.

Secondly, the individual should seek help from therapist or mental health professionals that could be of help.

He concluded that one of the best ways to have healthy living is balancing work and family life. This year father’s day has been extra ordinary.

In an interview with ClipTV correspondent, Oba Sulaiman Owolabi Ogun Oloko, the Olu of Iwaya Kingdom thanked the organizers for such a platform to celebrate men.

Sacrifices of Fathers

The royal father underscored that fathers has always had to endure so much to ensure a happy home.

“Fathers in the time past has always gone through a lot. A lot of tasks is on fathers to bring about a prosperoua son”, he said.

“What we have in the present society is not giving the enabling environment to do better, as it in the western world”, he continued.

The Olu stated that despite the challenges faced, Nigerians still go out of their comfort zones to raise prosperous children. He further implore fathers to do more, “it is a sacrifice that worth it”, Olu concluded.

Commending the sagacity and doggedness of the convener, Mr. Kelechi Anyalechi, Revamp Africa Foundation Founder describe the conference as amazing and extraordinary. He mentioned that he has learned a lot despite been a panelist.

Mr. Kelechi shared that men should not be delegating their sole responsibility of leadership in the home. Describing an ideal home as a state where men do not support but actually lead and delegate, “the woman should rather be supporting”, Kelechi said.

“Men should also learn to take responsibility for their actions, be apologetic. This is not a sign of weakness but of great strength and responsibility. Been apologetic as a man will teach your children honesty and self awareness of mistakes”, he said.

Memtal Health

As part of the conference, Mr. Bolade Daranijo, CEO Elcomserve Ltd., clarifies that a successful man is necessarily not a wealthy man. “The man leads the home, should give direction for the home economically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

“If he balance all these then is successful. So, a successful man is not a rich man.

“Me should not be under the pressure to attribute success as wealth”, he said.

Mr. Daranijo further clarifies that men should be responsible, develop the right amount of push to take care of the family but not under unnecessary pressure that will affect the mental health.

An IT consultant with bias on Cyber Security and Cloud Expert, Deacon George Ikoli-Spiff, on this special Father’s Day celebration hailed LAAF for putting this together. As a convener of Man to man series, Ikoli-Spiff encouraged men to speak out when going through challenges.

“In Man to Man series try to proffer solutions to help men out, we build a community where men can talk freely”, Ikoli-Spiff said. He lauds LAAF for the opportunity to celebrate men and fathers through the Dad Hero conference. “This has help fathers to understand they should not go through their challenges alone. The Conference has also celebrated fathers in a different view.

Ikoli-Spiff noted that “there ae several programs for a girl child and women but very little for men or boy child”, when there is a girl child without the right male child, the society is still become dysfunctional. “So, we need strengthen, educate and build up the men that are coming up.

“This is another reason to support LAAF for this kind of project”, he concluded.

Celebrate Fathers

Alima Layemi, the founding director of Life After Abuse Foundation (LAAF) in an interview with ClipTV Online, confirmed her excitement for the Conference. “Having top dignitaries like the Commissioner for youth, a royal father and other important personalities attend this maiden edition of Dad Hero Conference is laudable”.

“Father’s Day events is not usually celebrated; it is a privilege to have such dignitaries honor the invitation to celebrate the 2024 Father’s Day in this conference”.

Nevertheless, Alima highlights that men do a lot out of the spotlight to care for their families while women are at the frontlines so get women get more attentions. “The Dad Hero Conference is to bring to limelight the unseen sacrifices of fathers.

“Men should celebrate themselves more, receive their flowers, this will reduce the tensions on men and fathers”

The Dad Hero Conference to celebrate Father’s Day has helped men, fathers, and intending fathers to see life from a new lens. Men has learnt anew to take care of their boys and be part of the good and ill they experience, give proper couseling and help them grow to be better men.