Training a Male Child: A Father's Sacred Responsibility By: Sanni Yusuf Olatunji.  The training of a male child is one of the greatest responsibilities entrusted to a father. While mothers and fathers both play vital and complementary roles in raising children, a father's influence in shaping the character, identity, and direction of his son is unique and irreplaceable. This topic left me with tears and fear for the youths who are becoming a father. A father is more than a provider of food, clothing, and shelter. He is a mentor, a guide, a teacher, a protector, and a role model. Long before a boy becomes a man, he watches his father closely. He observes how his father speaks, treats people, handles conflict, honours commitments, responds to failure, and carries himself with dignity. These daily observations become powerful lessons that shape the kind of man the child will become. A well-trained male child is not simply one who excels academically or possesses professional qu...