my father, my hero

My Father, My Hero I always love to talk about my father not just because he so much loved me (us) as his daughter/ children but because he taught us so many things as young girls and he stood for us before his family and friends though it was tough and quite challenging for him then but I (we) saw his love, care and passion that prevail above all even on his dying bed. I am the third born in a family of six- five girls and a boy who happens to be the last child of the family. Growing up as a child, I was surrounded with loving people. My mum was more of the disciplinarian, very strict and principled with lined up rules and regulations that must not be broken else you get some lashes but my dad was truly exceptional. He has a gently way of correcting and administering discipline and that has brought us closer to him, apart from the fact that he always create time to be with us on a daily basis. He can never stay outside his home beyond 7pm without a genuine reason and will not exceed 7:30pm with an apology for coming late. We all learnt how to read and write from him. I watched him teaching my siblings and that extends to each and every one of us. He introduced us to reading of books- literature books and novels. Our teachers in school then had little to do. He never trivialized our education, that was a priority in his life and he ensure he gave us the best he could afford. I remember the day I received a lecture from him on sex education, I was so shy and I kept wondering why he kept me to have such a discussion but it was necessary because I was in my teen (16 years) and I was beginning to have some odd friends around me even though I didn’t understand why he had to do that, I must confess that lecture saved me from making wrong choices Being girls in the family, his friends and some few family members have always mocked and jeered at him for not having a male child (then the male child hadn’t arrive) yet spending so much time with the girls that cannot inherit his name or property nor have a say in family issues, I mean who does that with girls? The pressure on him to have a male child kept mounting until my little brother arrived yet they weren’t satisfy, they needed more which he refused because he never planned for a large family but here we are- six children. He loved us unconditionally and always talked proudly of his daughters anywhere, anytime. I remembered him telling his brother one time how he adored us his children and believed strongly that we will make him proud and the brother laughed scornfully. Today, this brother who had male children never sent them to school nor trained them well. We have to support those of them who are willing to do something meaning or enrol back to school. Today, I am saying a very big thank you to my beloved father of blessed memory. You loved us and your word to us always is to love one another and everyone around us, this has kept us close to each other in the family. I will always celebrate you. Love you always and missed having you round.