By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Tema, June 10, GNA – The presence of a father in a child’s life extends beyond traditional notions of provision and protection; it encompasses a profound influence on the child’s emotional development, social behaviour, and personal identity.
For male children, especially, the absence of a father figure creates a significant void that affects their psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual development.
Fathers serve not just as providers, but as mentors, protectors, and role models, and their involvement introduces a boy to the responsibilities and expectations of manhood.
Dr Joshua Oppong, a consultant at New Africa Concept, a religious organisation, said without proper foundational presence, many boys grow up confused about their identity and uncertain about what it truly means to be a man, saying that masculinity, without proper guidance, is often misinterpreted.
Dr Oppong made this known during the celebration of International Boy Child Day organised by the Church of Pentecost’s School Outreach Ministry, noting that instead of the male child being rooted in responsibility, empathy, and strength of character, it was replaced with aggression, emotional suppression, or a false sense of bravado.
He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that many boys resort to social media and peer groups to learn about manhood, adding that unfortunately, these sources rarely offer healthy models, adding that social media tends to glorify toxic masculinity, emphasising materialism, dominance, and emotional detachment.
He said young men, eager to fit in, may mimic these behaviours, believing them to be the standard of manliness, explaining that peer pressure further complicated the situation, as boys without strong male guidance were more susceptible to negative influences.
The consultant said most boys might engage in risky behaviour, develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, or struggle with identity crises, saying that fatherlessness also influenced the spiritual development of a male child.
He added that a father was expected to be the moral compass of the home, modelling values such as honesty, discipline, and faith, indicating that when this guidance is missing, boys often struggle to develop a strong moral foundation.
He added that their understanding of authority, purpose, and accountability becomes shaky, making it difficult for them to establish a personal relationship with faith or religion, noting that this spiritual disconnection could lead to feelings of emptiness, resentment, or confusion in later years.
Dr Oppong added that even though the consequences of growing up without a father could be seen in various aspects of society, from increased crime rates to emotional instability in adulthood, many boys raised without fathers can grow into responsible, emotionally healthy men.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Sawer/Kenneth Odeng Adade