Fathers Day: Edo deputy governor serves as altar boy

As Nigerians joined their counterparts worldwide to mark this year’s Fathers Day, the Edo State deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, participated in the celebrations by serving as an Altar Boy at the Saint Paul Catholic Church, Benin City, where he joined other worshipers to thank God for the 2021 edition of the annual event on Sunday.

Shaibu, who played the role of the Catholic Alter Boy for the fourth consecutive year, said that the delay in the formation of the state executive council by his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, was informed by the governor’s position that those who would serve in his cabinet should be nominated by the people in the grassroots and not himself picking commissioners and imposing them on the state.

The delay notwithstanding, Shaibu hinted that the process of picking commissioners had started, assuring that in a couple of days, a state cabinet would be formed.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the service, the deputy governor said: “Very soon we will get a cabinet, you can see that the process of getting the names has started from the grassroots. This governor will not appoint people from Benin, he prefers that the people should play up the names of those that they feel should run the affairs of the state and when they bring these names, in a couple of days, the cabinet will be formed.”

Shaibu added that his serving as Altar Boy for the fourth time reminded him of his days as an altar boy in Barnawa, Kaduna State, adding that the Fathers Day celebration became significant as “today reminds us as fathers that we should play our role in the society not only at home but also in our workplaces.”

“As a country, the president is the father of the nation. The 36 state governors are fathers of the 36 states and they should act as fathers to the country and to their states and when that is done, prosperity will abound.

“For chief executives of companies, they should act as fathers in their various establishments; the head of vulcanizers should act as a father, the head of tomato sellers should act as a father to them and the head, when we do that and stop playing negatively at home and in our workplaces, definitely Nigeria will be a better place. We should amplify those things that unite us, make positive statements at all times,” Shaibu admonished.

“As a father of the nation, as a father of the state, as a father of a company, if we refuse to make statements when we need to make statements, if we refuse to take actions when we need to take actions, just know that you are running the country or organisation as the case may be, to a state of instability. For all of us as fathers at home, we should play our roles just like St Joseph did to protect Mary and little Jesus when he was born”, the deputy governor counselled.

Earlier in his homily, Rev Fr Edwin Omoregbe urged the church, and particularly women. to appreciate the men, who he said are not duly appreciated by the society.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buhari Urges MTN For Quality Service, Downward Price Review In Cost Of Data, Other Services

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday at State House Abuja urged the MTN Group to make the available top-of-the-range service to its Nigerian subscribers…  Edo deputy governor serves as altar boy  ;  Edo deputy governor serves as altar boy  ;  Edo deputy governor serves as altar boy  ;  Edo deputy governor serves as altar boy.