The Nigerian Father! is the father of the house and Lord of his manor who’s in charge of all things – including things tech. *cricket sound*
So, these great men we peg at 55 three seventh and above (553/7) for this episode , like to ‘think’ they aren’t as dramatic or meticulous as our mothers when it comes to the use of technology, with a probable exception to the ones in their 60s. Well, I agree.
I mean, what do you take them for? Men who studied Engineering (EN-JI-NIA-RIN) at Ife? (Great!). Tech is their thing.
Urmm, they have some history too and just like our mothers, their tech story won’t go untold.
We have it covered on this episode of “Tech As We Know It”
The launch of tech (phones) in style
After purchasing mobile phones for themselves and their wives as “good husbands”, usage of these devices came with a little “extra”.
“Daddy’s” Phone
Their preference in phone brands usually fell within the range of the Motorolas, Sagems and Sony Ericssons but one thing stood out for a lot of them back in the day – the sizes of these phones.
It was almost as if they had a memo passed on the sizes of phones and that it just had to be bold. At least bolder than their wives.
You could always put this to test if you were over at a friend’s and the dad requested ‘his’ phone(s).
This was easily identifiable on the coffee table – stoic and built for functionality with wider widths and less attention to finesse. They just liked the “Daddy’s phone” effect.
Those phone accessories
Fathers had those see-through phone cases just as their wives and some of these cases even had strings attached to them that you could swirl around your fingers but there was more.
Remember those pouches like belt holsters they had attached to their waistband or belt/belt loops when they were all suited up? That was the movement then.
It just gave them this distinguished look – or so they hoped it would. You got to see this whenever they didn’t have their jackets on just like their suspenders.
Hands-free was another accessory which started off with the regular earbuds and earphones used in the per minute era and graduated to the then distinguished looking Bluetooth ones they thought was lit.
The voice of thy father…
Just as it was established with mothers, dads have that pitch too over the phone. However, the pitch may not be as loud but their voice tones contribute to it. This usually comes in when interacting with a subordinate or enjoying a conversation with a friend – usually in their local language. That just cuts all formality; allowing them kickback.
Social media
Their motive (they believe) as social media users is to appreciate the functionality of these apps and so they try to act basic.
Their comments when not infused with pidgin or a local language are usually quite structured like they were shooting an email.
Spoiler Alert: There’s also this subconscious thing they do when they put up birthday posts for their children; especially the girls. In a bid to somewhat downplay the daughter’s maturity, they add prefixes like “baby girl” or reveal the ages of their daughters. Which can be unnecessary.
(Yes dads, we see you and we know why). Moves it along…
Picture taking
The iPad (one of their tools)
Asides some work they get done on it, it otherwise will be used for notable videos recordings and pictures of family and incidences. Usually well captured.
They’re a bit about their selfie games but they prefer fuller pictures. Yes, those ones they like to take in their offices – seated at the desk and facing the camera, on the phone, or working. Oh yeah, they like car pictures too. Where they rest on the bonnet or pose by the side, or take a selfie from the dashboard in the interior of the car.
When they really want to show off that they aren’t so uptight after all:
they throw on the shades to give a dash of “babyboism” in some less casual photos,
hang their jackets on either of their index fingers, or
have it draped around their arms.
Causal photos sometimes meaning even when they still tuck their polos into their suit trousers.
They also like to take photos of their families, showing off their wives and putting up pictures on graduation and other milestone achievement of their families. It gives them this “Lord of my Manor” type of feel. Others may include photos of conferences attended and places visited, especially when they have to travel out. Even if it’s out of the state. With captions like: “In Abuja, Nigeria for the 3rd annual stakeholders conference”, “Visited: The Great Wall of China” with some extra historic info.
Bottom line, they like to feel like documentarists.
The family WhatsApp group
Maybe not as active as our mums but they participate too – sending what they deem as being relevant to the group and family, as well as observing the rest of the family’s build up to “setting them up” like making some requests on the group page like they wouldn’t have already discussed it in their private chats.
We love their use of technology…
Tech fathers are more likely to download music, video, apps and always update apps at the slightest notification of an app update.
For people who had started the university before mobile money transfer became a thing but caught up with it just before rounding off, the difference was clear. Away with the bank closing excuses, mobile money transfer solves it. Very seamless too. So, all that’s left is how to seamlessly get the money from them.
We love our dads…
“I grew up in East Germany, and we were short on technology. So, my father was really proud to be the owner of a turntable”
– Apparat
Just because the Headquarters of Association of Fathers in Nigeria have written to us on you the children using “I don’t know what to get for them on father’s day because you can’t afford their stuff” excuse…
Here are some tech ideas against next Father’s Day Celebration:
- You could download some of their favourite music collection they once had in vinyl records for the music lovers.
- Get a solid iPad cover.
- Show off your tech skills by reorganizing some work or synchronizing their emails through useful apps they might as well learn to use.
Bottom Line, you can render your techy prowess in delivering what would make them happy for the celebration.
There’s got to be more on our fathers and their tech experience. We’d love to read from you in the comment section.
