The Oramali Foundation, in partnership with other stakeholders, emphasized the importance of mentorship, emotional support, and moral upbringing for the boy-child to promote a balanced and responsible society.
The Foundation’s Executive Director, Chidima Oramali, made the appeal during the celebration of the International Day of the Boy-Child at the Federal Government Boys College (FGBC), Wuye, Abuja. The event’s theme was “Let’s Together Raise the Boys of Today Who Will Become the Men of Tomorrow.”
Oramali urged students to remain obedient to parents and teachers and to uphold good values. She also advised boys to be responsible and disciplined, assuring that the foundation would continue supporting the growth of the boy-child, promising, “We are coming back in 2027 bigger and better.”
Women Inspire Africa President Amb. Tina Kenechukwu noted that neglect of the boy-child has contributed to social challenges facing society. She highlighted that, while much attention has been given to the girl-child, boys also need guidance, mentorship, and emotional intelligence training.
“The society focuses so much on the girl-child, and little is said about the boy-child, forgetting that they are also children who need care and direction,” she said. She emphasized that proper grooming of boys is crucial because they will eventually become influential men. “If a boy-child is not properly trained, society will remain unbalanced because the boys will become men. Many social vices today, including violence and kidnapping, stem from inadequate moral guidance from childhood,” she added.
Kenechukwu described parenting as a collective responsibility involving parents, teachers, religious institutions, and society. She urged parents to intentionally instill strong moral values in children to discourage criminal activities and negative behaviors.
Earlier, programme Convener Oby Ezeilo explained that the initiative was driven by the need to address the challenges faced by the boy-child. She noted that many policies support the girl-child, but little is done for boys. “Since I teach in a boys’ school, I decided to organize this programme to benefit the students,” she said.
Activities at the event included a football match, a talk on overcoming challenges facing the boy-child, a dance competition, and the presentation of gifts to students. Ezeilo called on the government to implement balanced policies for both boys and girls, emphasizing that boys deserve care, support, and love just like girls to grow into responsible adults.
Optometrist Mr. David Nwandu commented that society often assumes boys understand life challenges without proper guidance. He said that lack of deliberate mentoring negatively impacts many boys in adulthood. “We deliberately train girls and pass knowledge to them, but boys often lack that privilege. I experienced this myself and am still learning. That’s why I encourage these boys to learn early and avoid our mistakes,” he said.
Nwandu urged students to stay focused on education, build self-confidence, and persevere. “Failure is not final until you quit. If you fail today, try again until you succeed,” he advised. He also encouraged students not to let poor backgrounds or setbacks limit their ambitions, emphasizing self-confidence and determination.
FGBC Wuye Principal Mr. Ogunsina Joshua appreciated the organisers for choosing the school and expressed hope that the initiative would positively influence the students. He called for support for the school’s digital technology and library projects to enhance learning. “We look forward to your return next year. FGBC will continue supporting initiatives that positively shape our students,” he said.
Solomon Amaku, speaking on behalf of the students, thanked the organisers for commemorating the International Day of the Boy-Child and for inspiring boys to become responsible men. Gift items such as Bibles, water bottles, books, and writing materials were presented to some students for good conduct and academic excellence.
