He that made them from the beginning, made them male and female for the purpose of companionship and procreation. These two species of human beings were created with diverse unique qualities. The man by virtue of who he is, takes the leadership position virtually in all things. It is usually hard to appoint a woman to head an establishment where a man is available especially when both are qualified. The man must be voted in to rule while the woman assists. The man is usually seen as the iroko tree around who everything revolves. He is the second in command to God in every family. While God assumes the General Overseer’s position in the family, man becomes his Personal Assistant.
At the home man is saddled with so many responsibilities, such as: taking care of the needs in the home front. Such needs includes:- ensuring that food is always on the table, providing medication for both his wife and children. The education of his children both formal and informal are also part of his responsibilities. Man is the chief magistrate in the home court. Whenever something goes wrong, such a person is arraigned before the high court within the home locality. The prosecutor relies on the family judge to do justice to his petition and man in his infinite wisdom has always handled rightly the cases before him. He is not partial in the handling of his cases because anyone arraigned is part and parcel of his blood. So often times, he relies absolutely on the judge of all the Almighty God for absolute wisdom and like King Solomon of old, he has always excelled in his wisdom and judgement. While discharging his duty as the judge of the home court, he bales to provide shelter and security for his family members. It is his responsibility to mend the leaking roof so that rain and sun will not discomfort his family during the rainy and harsh sunny days respectively.
Because of these numerous duties upon his shoulder, man is seen everywhere all over the globe, laboring and toiling through thick and thin to ensure that his family does not lack and also to ensure that he proves himself worthy of the position he occupies. Man in his world knows no rest, he wades through the torrential rain and harsh sun because life must go on. From birth, God endowed him with both physical and inner strength which sees him climbing and standing on top of several storey buildings as a builder. He is equally seen on top of electric poles, several metres above the ground. He is at the danger of land-crashing at the slightest mistake and the result can be instant death, yet he stands firm because of the lion heart he possesses. Oh yes, he remains unruffled even in the midst of a disturbing situation. The inner strength he has, makes him stand tall and firm when the situation is bad and tough.
The courage to fly as a pilot is unquantifiable. It is amazing how an ordinary mortal can manipulate an aircraft and cause it fly several altitudes up in the sky. He does that with comfort because of the pilot’s zeal in him. It is the heart of a man he has that keeps him even when he knows there could be possible crash. The world today is a technological testament by virtue of the numerous scientific and technological innovations. Technology no doubt has brought positive values in human existence but no matter how fantastic technology is; the wisdom behind its success is centred around man. Computers on the other lane are doing great exploits, breaking fallow grounds revealing mysteries. Computers can make you go miles within the shortest possible time. One can achieve in one minute through the computer what you can labour for a whole day but that cannot be possible without the help of the man because the computer cannot program itself without man and the woman behind him.
Man so bold and fearless you are. By your nature, you walk through the dark nights all alone when women are afraid to walk at such times. You are ready to conquer the darkness and circumstances surrounding it at the slightest provocation. You are a mighty man of valour, the conqueror of fear. When thieves come at night, you hardly hear the voice of the woman and her children because the power of fear has gripped them and left them in a state of shock. But no! The man of the house does not shame his heart with fear. His voice is heard thundering “Who goes there”! He faces the thief even with no weapon in his hand. This is because naturally he has an inner courage and strength that reaches out to the thief and either captures him or sends him running.
Man is a burden bearer. When the woman and her children need a shoulder to lean on, his shoulder is ever ready and large to accommodate. Every cry and his hands bear several white handkerchiefs with which he wipes their tears away. In his first aid box, there is a soothing balm to soothe their pains away. Man is equally the keeper of the family name and lineage and that accounts for the reason in some cultures the cry of twenty female children cannot equal the cry of a male child. Every family prays
earnestly for a child and when he is born1 there is so much joy and excitement. The firm belief in the value of a male child sees parents give their male children names like Ahamefula, Eziefule, Amaechlle, Nwokediuko etc. all through my life, I have not seen a woman bearing such names. The reason for such names is an indication that a male child is the custodian of the family’s heritage. Through a male child the family’s name is retained and sustained. We need not begrudge them because it is necessary and one never knew when it really began. It is here with us and we should accept it.
The female child is believed to be another man’s property. At birth, she is nurtured and groomed to be useful in his husband’s home which is her permanent abode. While in her home. All through her stay in her father’s house she undergoes a period of tutelage. She is expected to acquire certain behavious that will make her marketable. When the tutelage period is over and she sings happily as she walks down to her pride of place her husband’s home she is happy. Her brothers remain in her father’s house taking charge of the home front. The man is not left alone just with the responsibility of his immediate household. His relatives and his descendants are also at his neck especially in some cultures where the extended family syndrome is prevalent. The man again is saddled with the responsibilities of taking care of his mother, mother-in-law, uncles, nephews and other members of his in-laws family. Because of these numerous responsibilities his hands are always at work to ensure that ends meets.
I too share in the knowledge of what a typical man goes through. My own man is a workaholic for who the twenty-four hours of the day are never enough in the course of discharging his duties. He is such a person; I bet you, who at the slightest chance of talking to God, will tell him to please extend the hands of the clock to thirty six hours a day. Men of his type are never tired. They go to bed late and wake up early. Amazingly, I wonder at the strength which my tough lion-man displays in the course of meeting up with his responsibilities. He hardly gets tired and often times I ponder if He who made him made me. Sometimes I cannot help but think that God was partial in creating man. At times, I see myself struggling to lift a 25-liters jerry-can of water when my sixteen year old son can do it with ease. When the boy does that, my exclamation usually is “what a world without men”!
The role and place of man in the family unit can never be over emphasized. If a woman thinks she is strong, she should pause and realize that her strength lies in the ability of her man. There is no gain saying the fact that she is beautiful and tender because she has a man by her side. Her beauty is inconsequential without the man in her life and that is why my school of thought will always quarrel with the school of thought that says “whatever a man can do, a woman can do better”. There are so many things a man can do which a woman cannot do, much more doing it better! Women out there, before your strength and beauty get into your head and you begin to puff up, be quick to recollect that your strength and beauty lie in your man.
Several ladies are sleepless because of a husbandless life. They flood our churches and even fetish priests’ houses in the bid to get life partners. Some are defrauded and deceived by over zealous so called men of God all because of the desperation for their better halves. Some of these ladies are very beautiful, intelligent and sophisticated. Little wonder why with all these achievements they still labour hard for a life partner. Some turn lionesses at work places, ready to fight at the slightest provocation. The reason is because their system is not in place, amidst all their achievements. Yet the centre of their lives cannot hold because their better halves and integral parts of their lives are no where to be found. And surely, God will provide for them in due time. Just watch and pray.
When eventually they succeed in their search, joy and peace flow down their system and their worlds become happier. They automatically feel a great sense of pride and fulfillment. Someone should be courageous to tell me what the world would have been without our men. Definitely the world would have been in chaos. To all the good men out there, you are our crowning glory, our pride, strength and joy, you are our superstars. Continue to be who you are. More grease to your strengths, more courage and more goodness to your lives. The women folks the good wives you have at homes hail you all. May He who made you keep you all in perfect peace. Long live our gallant men! Long live our courageous men! Long live our superstars!
(This piece had earlier been published some months ago, but by popular demand, we have reproduced it as a tribute to our men of great courage)
