By Joke Kujenya
LAGOS, NIGERIA, the cozy but modest Moremi Hall at the Sheraton Hotels and Suites, Ikeja, filled with an unusual energy on Sunday, 2nd October, as fathers, mothers, families and faith leaders gathered for the official launch of The Intentional Father, a book and movement birthed by author and visionary, Timothy Oladipo.
More than a literary debut, the event marked the beginning of what Oladipo described as “a divine call to raise purposeful, emotionally healthy, and spiritually grounded fathers.”
As guests walked into the hall, with soft music playing at the background, they were treated to light finger foods of small chops to be gulped by a chilled cup of strawberry drinks in smallish paper cups.
A movement born out of conviction
Explaining the essence of its launch, Oladipo’s said it was born out of a reflective, powerful, and deeply personal life’s experiences which he believed several fathers across the world could glean lessons from.
“So, this is more than just a book launch,” he said. “It’s the beginning of a journey. It is actually a strong call for fathers to realign with God’s purpose, reconcile with their children, and be intentionally present in their homes.”
At the heart of The Intentional Father lies a confession described as a spoken covenant printed boldly on a roll-up banner displayed at the venue.
Setting the tone, the book reviewer, Pastor Adetokunbo Emmanuel, reflected on the urgent need for society particularly church leaders and fathers/families, to rethink the meaning of fatherhood and adoption.
Emmanuel said there are “many children on the streets that need to be adopted”, urging pastors across Nigeria and Africa to begin shaping the narrative within congregations.
According to him, one of the most common prayer points in churches remains the cry of “singles looking for spouses and couples looking for children,” yet few consider the path of adoption as a divine alternative.
Fondly called Pastor Toks, he challenged believers to act with intention, stressing that men must move beyond biological fatherhood to become intentional fathers who consciously nurture, protect, and raise children including those without homes.
He also called for forgiveness and reconciliation within families, saying there is a “need to forgive our fathers for past misdeeds,” and to bridge the gap between natural fatherhood and spiritual responsibility.
Building further on this thrust, Oladipo said the “Intentional Father Confession” begins with an honest admission which the author enjoined guests to chorus: “I confess that I have not always led well. I have been distracted, silent, sometimes absent, but today I realign with your design for me.”
He said the essence was for each line of the confession to challenge respective fathers to reject passivity and cultural norms that equate manhood with silence or emotional distance.
“Instead, it urges them to lead with love, grace, and spiritual wisdom — to be “present, not passive; purposeful, not prideful.”
Later in his address, Oladipo spoke openly about the wounds and lessons from living with his dad that shaped the book’s message.
He summed it up that: “Many men who felt they were doing well only suppressed the demons they never dealt with,” he said. “Some connected with their children financially but never emotionally.”
Further drawing from personal experience, he described how unresolved trauma often leads men to become domineering or emotionally absent which has become patterns that fracture homes and, by extension, communities.
He said the book, which blends biblical insight with real-life reflections, presents fatherhood not as an inherited role but as a calling, one that requires healing, humility, and intentional growth.
“To be proper parents, we have to adopt our children first — spiritually and emotionally — before we can truly own them,” Oladipo said, highlighting the difference between a biological and an intentional father.
Pastors also lend their voice.
In the words of the Guest Speaker, Pastor Tunde Ogedengbe, who delivered a stirring reflection on the divine role of fathers said: “A father is a source and sustainer to his wife and children.”
Then added: “Every woman needs a father in her husband. Being a father is not just a role — it’s a great calling.”
He also said, “Anything you maintain, you give value to. So, the author, Tim is not an echo; he’s an original. His convictions are deep and Spirit-led.”
Pastor Ogedengbe said the Intentional Father Movement, an offshoot of the book, aims to confront what he saw as “the epidemic of broken homes.”
He emphasised that many problems seen in churches and societies today stem from family dysfunctions that began in private.
“We can’t fix the Church until the homes are fixed,” he said. “Children respect present fathers more than post-present ones. No matter how good a mother is, she can’t be a father.”
Back to the authur, citing biblical references from Deuteronomy 6:7 and Mark 5:21 (Jairus’s story), Oladipo challenged men to prioritise spiritual leadership.
“Jairus was a man of priority and open prayers,” he said. “That’s the model for intentional fatherhood, men who submit to the Holy Spirit and lead their homes by example.”
Oladipo stressed that forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing have become one recurring theme.
So, he told the guests that the actual theme of the launch was forgiveness particularly between fathers and their children.
He also called on men to apologise where necessary and rebuild emotional connections long lost to pride or neglect.
“Men often think money fixes everything,” he said. “But more than payment, children need presence, patience, and protection.”
The Intentional Father book and its accompanying Movement as reflected on the Facebook page exhibits a broader mission: to raise a generation of Kingdom-minded, Christ-centred fathers capable of transforming homes and communities from within.
“Every man needs Christ as his head, or he’ll become a headless father,” Oladipo declared, drawing applause from the audience.
On the sideline inside Moremi Hall was a drop-down banner featuring the ‘The Poetry of Purpose with a complementing confession dubbed The Intentional Father Poem as well as a lyrical declaration printed on a second banner at the venue.
The banners echoed the same heartbeat of restoration and grace, reminding fathers that their calling transcends provision; it’s about purpose, presence, and prayer.
The poem also captures the emotional and spiritual dimension of the movement, weaving together themes of repentance, identity, and legacy.
In closing, Oladipo affirmed that The Intentional Father is not just about men of today but about shaping the generations to come.
“As a righteous man, I will walk in the integrity of God’s Word,” the confession reads. “May my children be blessed after me.”
The event ended with worship, prayer, and a renewed commitment among men to rise above cultural expectations and embrace fatherhood as ministry.
Next . . . The quiet halls of House on the Rock, Bodija, is set to witness a repetition of the launch come tomorrow, Sunday, October 12, 2o25 to further drive it from vision to movement.
BOOK DETAILS
Title: The Intentional Father
Author: Timothy Oladipo
Launch Venue: House on The Rock Church, Bodija, Ibadan
Date: Sunday, 12 October, 2025.
