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Fathers’ Day: Clerics Charge Fathers To Nurture Healthy Homes For Safer Society
An Anglican cleric, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim, has charged fathers to take seriously the responsibility of building healthy homes to enhance a safer society.
Ibezim, the Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Anglican Diocese, made the call in a message he delivered to mark 2021 Fathers’ Day.
He said that fathers, being the heads of the families, needed to be celebrated for the important roles they play in enlarging the society, hence, a day was set aside to celebrate them.
He said that fathers had great responsibilities to nurture their homes to develop a great society.
At the Church of the Pentecost, Awka, Venerable Ekene Nwafor, Vicar in charge of the Church, read the only text during the service to mark Fathers’ Day.
That the title of the message was, “Joseph the Carpenter: A Role Model” with the text taken from the Gospel of Luke 2, verse 41- 42.
Nwafor, also the Archdeacon, Awka Central Archdeaconry, charged fathers to ensure that they were rooted in Christ to be able to raise healthy homes.
He encouraged fathers to hold onto prayers as only solution to a challenging time and at any time where life challenges steered at them, face to face.
Mr Osita Obi, Chairman 2021 Fathers’ Sunday Planning Committee of the church of the Pentecost, urged fathers to place home training and care of the family as their main duty.
Obi said that more attention should be given to family development to have a healthy home that would serve as a unit of socialisation and societal development.
“When we get the home front right, then we are sure of safe environment that will make life activities thrive, without fear of any attack.
“Fathers must take responsibilities of their homes,” he said.
Mr Okey Anyanyo, a member of the planning committee, advised that it was time for parents to sit down and monitor the activities or company their children kept.
Anyanyo said that parents had placed materialism above proper and sound home grooming and had abandoned the care of the home to domestic helps.
“It is time for a rethink and a change of attitude.
“Many parents cannot give full account of who their children outside home are. Some fathers think that to care for a home is to provide money.
“This is not so. Fathers need to monitor what goes on in their homes,” he said.
Mrs Victoria Nwosu, a parishioner, commended the church for setting out a day to celebrate fathers for their enormous work in home development as well as to remind them of their great importance in home care.
In the same vein, Venerable Chris-Nkem Okafor, Vicar Saint Judes’ Church Adazi-Ani, in Adazi-Ani Archdeaconry, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra, urged those fathers who shied away from their responsibilities to sit up.
Okafor said that some fathers had, through family negligence, been championing single parenting and warned that they should live up to their call of parenting.
“Parenting as was seen in the life of the biblical Joseph instills discipline, love, peace and togetherness in the families; the story should not change today,” he said.
He appealed to fathers to love their wives, look inwards into their families and discipline themselves, noting that when they got it right in their families the society would be a better place.
Our correspondent who monitored the celebration reports that the service sessions were peaceful.
That some fathers spoke on the significance of the day, including Chief Silas Ejide, Obum Ezeaku, Dr Chijioke Umezue and Beaneth Ugoagu.
They appealed to fathers to eschew social lifestyle that triggered division and collapsed marriages.
That services in the churches visited were conducted by fathers while, also, special prayers were offered for the enthronement of peaceful families and security of the nation.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.