*I was lost in thoughts* while driving to a friend’s wedding this evenning when my phone started ringing and i was suddenly woken up from my looong reverie.
I checked the phone screen, it was Jibike, my little daughter that was calling. And i picked it.
“What’s up baby girl?” That’s our traditional greeting style; and she was like “…daddy im cool… hope you are fine too…” “Yes oooo” was my answer…I “lied”… *daddys have always had to lie just to make their “babies” feel ok…the truth is “Daddys are never fine!”* She didn’t know she broke into my thoughts while i was doing the figure juxtaposition about her school fees and that of her sisters for next school session.. *.”Daddys are never fine!”*
*See our conversation below;*
*Jibs (her pet name)* : “Daddy, i want you to buy a bicycle for me”.
*Me* : “You this girl, you have come again, it is bicycle this time around”
*Jibs* : “Daddy na” Its just a small bicycle now
*Me* : That’s the same thing you told me when you wanted to buy your IPad. It was supposed to be a small ipad but what did we get? You remembered how much i had to pay? You and your Ibadan sense. Thank God you no get that your Ijebu mother sense
*Jibs* : Daddy na, are you trying to abuse my mummy?
*Me* : Me ke? I no fit oo, before she will come and ask me to buy her Aeroplane. So how much is that your bicycle sef?
*Jibs* : 1million naira only
*Me* : ( I almost throw up behind my steering) Jibssss!!! What! 1million what? Are you buying bicycle or Mercedes Benz?
*Jibs* : Bicycle na, Daddy
*Me* : ( me that was thinking of school fees) Babe, I will see what i can do about it next week ( *1million ko, 10milion ni)*
*Jibs* : oh my sweet dad, you are the best daddy in the world. My mummy said i should blow you kisses..mmennn
*Me* : So, its your mummy that is teaching you to buy 1million bicycle
*Jibs* : Noooooooooooo
Honestly, i wish i could pick up my phone too and call my dad and ask him for a 1million naira car but lo and behold i am the daddy now
Fatherhood is a tough course, fatherhood is a tough subject, fatherhood is a grave calling, fatherhood is for the courageous at heart
Fatherhood is a walk through the gate of hell so the home can be a heaven
I salute the courage of every father that stays to “do their job”
Much more, my heart goes out to every mother who also double as fathers for their children, who toil through the night so their children can see the light of the day, that’s a yo man job. I say to you, you will eat the fruits of your labour
To all of us daddys who had *”to lie”* …to say that we are fine even when we are nowhere anything called fine, so our babies(including our wives) can be fine…i say kudos to all of us…We shall all live to eat the fruit of our labour
*Happy father’s day…Daddy, i hope you are fine”*
*Watch out for : Fathers On The Run*
Femi Adediran
Olufire Naani