By Bernadette Idalu
Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has advocated the need for collaboration between government and the church for the betterment of the society, especially in the area upbringing of our children..
Shaibu Made this assertion after serving as a Mass Serve, the second year in a row, to celebrate Fathers’ Day which incidentally coincided with the solemnity of the Holy Trinity. Theme of this year’s celebration is,”The Undying Father,” . According to Shaibu, serving as a Mass Server has brought back nostalgic feelings of his days serving Mass in Kaduna as an Alter Boy.
He noted that father’s have to be positive role models to their individual families to make for a better society. He said the same attribute had to be displayed in governance to make for a society in which the right persons were put in the right positions for the smooth flow of the dividends of democracy to the people.
Wife of the Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Maryann Philip-Shaibu who was honoured as Jewel of St. Paul’s Catholic Church, as mark of recognition for her outstanding work in the church, said though, a mother, she was happy to be associated with men, stating, “We push them but they make things happen.”
She observed that though women are heard more in church and make more noise on issues relating to them, she revealed publicly, her love for her husband, and respect for her father. She prayed God to bless the work of the hands of all fathers.
Chairman, Etsako Central Local Government Council, John Osi Akhigbe, stated that fathers should endeavor to be positive role models to their children, adding that occasions like this were positive reminders to society to do the needful.
Host Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Edwin Omorogbe, in his homily said fathers should be alive to their responsibilities. He sued for the use of persuasive authority by fathers at convincing their children to stop the abuse of drugs which unfortunately is on the rise.
He also called on Catholics to always invoke the name of the Holy Trinity in times of strife, not only during the celebration of the Most Holy Trinity where the church celebrates the three distinct persons who made up the Godhead which exemplified the importance of the division of labour/collaborative creation story in Genesis 1: 26, where God asserts, in the first person plural sentence structure, “Let us create man in our own image.”
The highpoint of the celebration was the presentation of awards to six patrons/grand patrons, recognition and presentation of awards to two Super Dads. Presentation of awards were also made to three Jewels of the church, amongst whom was wife of the Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Maryann Philip-Shaibu by members of the Catholic Men’s Organization.
