BBC Pidgin of Monday, 10 May 2021

Source: BBC

Mother's Day: When be Mother's Day and why Nigerians dey celebrate am plenti times?

Mother's Day na special day to honour di mama of di family, na day to honour motherhood, maternal bonds and di power of mothers for di society and e dey celebrated throughout di world.

But pipo don argue say Mother's Day celebration na one of di most confusing celebration for di world, especially for Nigeria.

Wetin dey cause di confusion no be di celebration itself but di actual date of di event.

Starting from February for every year, Happy Mother's day messages go don begin dey pop up, pipo go don begin dey send tribute to dia beloved mama. Na so di messages go flow enta March, April, May, August and some oda months of di year.

Di confusion even grow wen Catholic and Anglican Church choose separate days to celebrate Mother's Day.

When be di authentic official Mother's Day

Mother's Day celebration dey happun for more than 50 kontris across di world, but all kontris no dey celebrate am di same day.

Di celebration dey fall for different days for many parts of the world and e depend on which part of di world you dey live or di one you like to follow.

E dey important to know say Mother's Day wey dey most time fall on Sunday for some kontris get dia root for di traditional catholic and Anglican church where dem dey call am mothering Sunday.

Mother's Day dates dey change every year because e dey related to di celebration of Easter Sunday wey also dey change because e dey follow di Lunar Calendar.

For some kontris, Mother's Day celebration na every fourth Sunday of Lent.

Mother's Day na unofficial event for Nigeria because goment no recognize am unlike oda kontris where goment official declare di day.

History of Mother's Day

How Mother's Day celebration take start dey traced to di times of di ancient Greeks, wey dey always do festivals to honour Rhea and Cybele, di mother of di gods.

During di Middle Ages, e get custom wey dem get to allow wey don move comot from where dem born dem to go back go go visit their home or 'mother' churches, and their mothers, on di fourth Sunday of di Christian festival of Lent.

That time e dey common for children to leave home go work when dem still dey young like 10 years old, so dis na opportunity for families to meet again.

Dis become Mothering Sunday for Britain. Although UK dey call am Mother's Day, e no get any connection wit di American Mother's Day.

Mother's Day for di US

For US, Mother's Day dey celebrated on di second Sunday of May each year.

Di idea start for America when one woman Anna Jarvis hold one small memorial service for her own mother on 12 May 1907.

Soon after, most places for America begin dey observe di day and in 1914, di US president turn am to national holiday, wey dem go dey celebrate on di second Sunday of May.

Lots of other kontris dey celebrate Mother's Day at different times of di year as well.

Dates wey different kontris dey celebrate Mother's Day

Kontris wey dey celebrate Mothers Day for March 31 include:

UK, Nigeria, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.

Kontris wey dey celebrate Mothers Day for May 12

Anguilla, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas

Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda

Bonaire, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia

Croatia, Cuba, Curaasao, Czech Republic, Ecuador

Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Grenada

Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica

Japan, Latvia, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Peru

Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa

Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago

Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

For Mexico and many parts of Latin America, dem dey celebrate Mother's Day on May 10th of each year.

Thailand, dey celebrate am on August 12th, di birthday of di current Queen.

Some other kontris dey join am wit di International Women's Day. They include Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Afghanistan, Romania and others.