Amidst the DIY gift cards, obligatory socks, and annual breakfast-in-bed rituals, this Father’s Day, we ask you to pause and not just to celebrate the fathers we have, but to consider the kind of fathers we’re raising.
Because behind every man who shows up as a dad, there once stood a boy: often unsure, sometimes afraid, and always watching. How we raise that boy will determine the kind of father he becomes, whether he leads with empathy, discipline, or absence.
Stories from the Field
In a small town outside Kaduna, a father named Musa also a Nigerian barber and single dad wakes before dawn, not just to open his kiosk but to braid his 7-year-old daughter’s hair before school. He doesn’t see this as extraordinary. “She shouldn’t grow up thinking only her mother can do this,” he says.
He represents a quiet revolution: Nigerian fathers who are emotionally present, redefining masculinity and showing up in ways the generation before them couldn’t.
Another story is Tobi, a Lagos-based accountant and first-time father, began attending therapy after the birth of his son. “I didn’t want to pass down my emotional baggage. My dad was a great provider, but we never spoke heart-to-heart. I want more for my son,” he says.
A Shifting Script
Traditionally, the Nigerian father was the provider, protector, and sometimes the silent enforcer. Emotional expression? That was “woman’s work.” But the tide is turning.
Modern Nigerian fathers are challenging outdated norms. They’re doing school runs, learning about gentle parenting, showing affection, and discussing topics like mental health, periods, and consent. Still, cultural resistance remains strong.
The Data We Can’t Ignore
A 2024 survey by the Centre for Gender & Family Life found that over 40% of Nigerian fathers still believe emotional care giving is primarily a mother’s role. One in three admitted they feel “ill-equipped” to talk to their children about mental health or sex education.
“A father’s presence is not just about being there physically; it’s about being there emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Our children need us in every sense.” — Dr. Chinedu Okafor, Child Psychologist
Raising Better Fathers Starts with Boys
If we truly want to uplift fatherhood, we must start by investing in boyhood.
Mentorship, safe spaces, and intentional parenting are key to raising empathetic boys—boys who understand that masculinity includes softness, that boundaries are healthy, and that crying doesn’t make them weak; it makes them whole.
“When fathers engage actively in their children’s lives, it sets a foundation for a more equitable and compassionate society.”
— Amina Yusuf, Gender Equality Advocate
A boy taught to understand his emotions becomes a man who listens. A boy encouraged to speak up becomes a father who communicates. A boy affirmed becomes a protector—not just of his household, but of women, of society, and of the future.
This Father’s Day, Let’s Build and Not Just Celebrate
To the dads redefining manhood…
To the mentors, brothers, uncles, teachers, and coaches filling in gaps and modeling healthy masculinity…
We see you. And we thank you.
But celebration without action is just noise.
Here’s how to help build better fathers today:
- Mentor a boy. Even a one-time conversation can change a life.
- Encourage workplaces to adopt paternity leave and mental health support.
- Join or support parenting groups that promote positive fatherhood.
- Teach your sons that strength includes vulnerability.
- Check in with a father, especially the quiet ones.
This Father’s Day, let’s not just gift.
Let’s guide. Let’s grow. Let’s build.
#FathersDay2025 #ModernFatherhoodInNigeria #RaisingEmpatheticBoys #WeDeyForYou #SupportForFathers #NoCapeRequired