Nigerian musician, actor, and businessman Banky W, who is also a proud father of a young son with his equally famous wife, Adesua Etomi, recently opened up about fatherhood in an interview with Hawa Magaji. He discussed the challenges of being a father, particularly the difficulty of balancing his busy schedule while being over 40. Here’s what he had to say.
Responding to the question of what the hardest part about being a father is, Banky W said:
BANKY W: I do a lot of things: I’m a business man, I have a few companies I’m invested in, that I work in and work for, I’m in ministry, I’m a husband, I’m in society, I’m always doing one thing or the other. So it means my days are pretty busy.
Prior to having a child, when you come home, you’re just going to sit down, take your shoes off, hang out with madam, relax, and have a good time. But now, immediately I walk in the door, it’s almost like my son has seen his favorite superhero and he immediately wants me to play with him.
He doesn’t care that I’m 40+ and that I’ve been working on my feet all day, and I’ve been in traffic, and I’ve been in meetings. He’s just like “papa, come and play” and that’s all he cares about in that moment in time. He wants me to chase him around the room, or play ball, or something. And that can be pretty exhausting. We prayed for a strong willed child, so when God now answers, its y’know. And no matter how tired you are, you have to play.
But again, there is joy in it right? Because regardless of how tired I feel, there’s actually nothing I’d rather do at that point in my day than roll around in the carpet with my boy.