By Babatunde Tiamiyu
The boy child across Nigeria has been told to break the culture of silence, stay focused, and walk away from peer groups pressure to secure a bright future.
This charge was given during the commemoration of the 2026 International Day of the Boy Child celebration held in Ibadan.
The summit was put together by a non-governmental organisation, the Kids Advocate and Development Initiative.
Addressing the participants, a Principal Officer at the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission, TESCOM, Dr. Olatunji Oladunni, urged the boy children to always speak up when facing challenges rather than suffering in silence. He also advised them to acquire vocational skills, as of formal education,to support their future career development.
The founder of the initiative, Mrs. Yetunde Owokoniran, explained that the NGO was created to shine a spotlight on the welfare of boys. She warned that neglecting the proper upbringing of the boy-child poses a major danger to the girl-child and the entire society in the future.
Mrs. Owokoniran appealed to parents to care for their sons just as much as their daughters to create a balanced society.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the initiative, Mr. Temitope Owokoniran, noted that the program aims to steer young boys away from hooliganism and other vices like criminal acts, adding that the NGO is committed to raising boys who will become excellent ambassadors of their communities and Nigeria both at present and in future.
The event brought together students from various public and private schools in Oyo State.
Two of the participants, Iyanda Sulaimon and Kamarudeen Abdulhai, said the summit is an opener towards how to structure and secure their future.
The celebration featured vibrant talent displays by the students and concluded with the presentation of certificates to all participants.
