Odartey Lamptey’s experience with his ex-wife Gloria should be a good reminder on why Father’s Day should not be celebrated.
You see, these kids celebrated Odartey as father for many years only to wake one day and be told that “this man is not your father”. A lot of us have build stronger bonds with our kids more than their mothers’. But imagine waking up one day to realise that what existed between you and the kids were all farce.
When Odartey was interviewed live on TV, the point he burst into uncontrollable tears was when he was asked about his relationship with “his” kids. From his narration, you will realise that he loved the kids more than anything else in this world. He gave them the best of education money can buy and the wishes of the kids were his commands.
As a matter of fact, the downfall of Odartey’s marriage started on the back a decision he was making to give the best of education to his daughter. The best education the average Ghanaian cannot afford for his kids.
Note, this is not a rendition to blame Gloria or spite Mother’s Day. No, I am a conscientious feminist.
Mother’s Day will always be more popular than Father’s Day. Why? Motherhood is a FACT but Fatherhood is a BELIEF. Your mother is your mother. Motherhood comes with hardcore irrefutable evidence. First, she carries you in her womb of at least 9 months. She eventual births you under very dramatic crowd-gathering circumstances and breastfeed you for at least two years or more. This and many more are inerasable evidence available to doctors, midwives, TBAs and everyone within your immediate community.
In some circumstances, fathers play little to nothing in the early lives of kids. (this may have nothing to do with shirking responsibilities). It may just be nature of things.
On the other hand, fatherhood is a belief. You call someone your father because you believe he is your father or your mother told you so. Why? Because no one entirely takes evidence in the bedroom seriously. Again, whoever your mother tells you is your father, is your father. Save the money on paternity test!
Celebrating Father’s Day is waste of precious time, and committing resources to its celebration is even irrational. You could be celebrating the wrong father. If you’re a first born, you should even be more careful celebrating “your father” for many women have married with pregnancy from “the man she truly loves but the man was not ready yet”.
By the way, Happy Father’s Day to reasonable fathers like Odartey who still share greater love for “his” former kids.
NB: I am tempted to believe that Cde Abdul Salim Tiyumba’s kid may be celebrating an innocent man today.