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Angela Sibanda, Showbiz Reporter

This Sunday, the country will join the rest of the world in celebrating Father’s Day, a day commemorated annually on the third Sunday of June.

Apart from celebrating biological fathers, the day is meant to appreciate all those that play fatherly roles in raising and guiding little ones as they grow into adulthood and these include stepfathers, uncles, and brothers.

As per the norm, a number of events have been organised to appreciate fathers for their hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to the upbringing of their children.

These include a father and daughter dinner that will be held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Tearoom and the Father’s Day special party scheduled for Queens Sports club this Saturday. 

Having grown up in an environment that denied him a father’s love, poet Obert Dube who will be the MC at the Father’s Day special party urged fathers to take the role of raising children seriously as it tends to have a bearing on their future.

“We always say fathers or men are the heads of families, but the truth is that men have become irresponsible as most are failing to take care of their children. As we celebrate Father’s Day, we should put an emphasis that by commemorating this day, we’re not celebrating men’s ability to bring children into this world, but we’re, rather appreciating the good work that they do.

Queens Sports Club

“Many a time, men come up with silly reasons for not taking care of their kids and denying pregnancy when they know they’re responsible. We need to do better as men,” said Dube.

He said there’s a need to celebrate responsible stepfathers who adopt children and raise them as their own.

“And as we celebrate this day, let’s appreciate stepfathers and uncles who take care and educate children that are not biologically theirs. As men, we need to own up, take up our responsibilities and stop behaving like animals. 

“A father is a father because of the sacrifices that they make for their families,” he said.

Organiser of the father and daughter dinner event, Lorretta Silunde-Sikosana, said the role of a father in a girl child’s life is very crucial as it is key to self-confidence and independence.

Lorretta Silunde-Sikosana

“The event was inspired by my relationship with my father. He taught me everything. It’s crucial for a father to be present in their daughter’s life as this has an impact on a girl child’s self-esteem and level of confidence when she grows up.

“In a world where the saying ‘it’s a man’s world’ is still common, learning things like changing bulbs and tyres which we learn mainly from our fathers, gives a girl child a certain boost emotionally and that way, we learn to be independent,” Silunde-Sikosana said. 

“Any man can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a dad and be there through their daughter’s life. Apart from being there to hold her hand on her wedding day, a lot of things can be done by a father to create long-lasting memories,” she said.

Zimbabwe is one of the countries with many fatherless children who are being taken care of by single mothers, stepfathers, and extended family members hence the celebration of the day comes with a lot of mixed emotions and expectations.