Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
HAVE you ever wondered why the world is rotten to the core? Well, according to author, banker and minister Greyson Chipote, it is because men go missing in action when they are needed most.
These sentiments were shared by the author during a men’s breakfast meeting held on Saturday at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo’s Hide Out Café with the focus on his debut book When men go missing: The manifold consequence of fatherlessness.
The breakfast meeting was the second of its kind after the first one was held last month. These discussions seek to emphasise the role that men need to assume in society.
Chipote, who led the discussions, told Chronicle Showbiz that if paternal care is not ministered among children, things go haywire.
“Biology is the lowest level of fatherhood and fatherlessness is the root cause of most ills afflicting society. It, therefore, calls upon men to be present and assume their roles within the household as well as beyond the household.
“Without paternal care, children tend to do whatever they think is right, and most of the time, it might not be the best thing to do. They need a father figure to guide them through life’s challenges. said Chipote.
Founded on drug abuse, criminality, suicide, mental health issues, and gender-based violence, the discussion table was set.
“A lot of bad boys are as a result of the absence of paternal figures in their lives. Their behaviour is symptomatic of one who has lacked paternal love, care, and attention and if we are to curb these social ills, active involvement must happen.
Men should be able to champion boy child initiatives. Men issues are not confronted adequately,” he said.
As a take-home, men were given a charge to adopt young people who lack paternal attention to avert possible future danger, especially looking at issues of criminality and mental health.
Mr Chipote advocated for the upliftment of the boy child in the face of gender equity and said the next meeting might incorporate women. – @eMKlass_49
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