Students and organisers at the 2026 International Day of the Boy Child event at Federal Government Boys College, Wuye, Abuja, during mentorship and awareness activities.
Concerns over the growing neglect of the boy child took centre stage in Abuja, as stakeholders called for urgent policy reforms, stronger parenting and increased mentorship for boys during the 2026 International Day of the Boy Child celebration.
The event, titled PROJECT-18 Initiative, was organised by ORAMALI Foundation in partnership with Wiki Club FGBC and Women Inspire Africa at Federal Government Boys College (FGBC), under the theme: “Let’s Together Raise the Boys of Today Who Will Become the Men of Tomorrow.”
Participants warned that continued focus on the girl child without equal attention to boys could worsen social problems such as violence, crime, emotional instability and poor leadership among young men.
Convener of the programme, and organiser of Igbo Institute, Oby Ezeilo, said the advocacy became necessary because discussions around child development have largely ignored boys.
“There are so many policies on the girl child. There are so many activities around the girl child, but nobody is talking about the boy child,” she said.
Ezeilo, a senior staff member of the college and also Campaign Organiser of Igbo Wiki Fan Club, noted that boys also require emotional support, mentorship and protection from societal pressures.
“The way they are passing policies about the girl child, they should equally pass policies about the boy child. There should be a balance. It doesn’t have to be one-sided,” she stated.
She argued that many negative stereotypes associated with boys stem from a lack of care and guidance. “They need to be loved like the way we love the girl child,” she said.
An optometrist, Mr David Nwandu, also raised concerns about the assumption that boys should naturally understand life challenges without guidance.
“When you talk about the boy child and the challenges of the boy child, people assume the boy child should know everything,” he said.
According to him, society invests heavily in preparing girls for adulthood while many boys are left without mentorship and emotional development.
“The deficiencies of not training the boy child can affect them adversely,” he noted.
Mr Nwandu urged the students to build self-confidence through discipline, honesty and perseverance rather than shortcuts.
“It is better to fail honourably than to cheat because self-confidence is built by deciding to write what you know,” he said.
Executive Director of ORAMALI Foundation, Mrs Chidima Oramali, stressed the need to instill discipline and moral values in children from an early age. “We love you and we want the best for you, but you need to help us by doing what you’re supposed to do. Read your books. Love your neighbour as yourself,” she told the students.
President of Women Inspire Africa, Ambassador Tina Kenechukwu, linked rising social vices among young men to poor upbringing and weak mentorship structures. “The society focuses so much on the girl child, while little or nothing is said about the boy child,” she said.
She warned that failure to properly groom boys could continue to fuel insecurity and social unrest. “If a boy child is not properly trained, society is still not balanced,” she said.
Ambassador Kenechukwu identified parenting gaps, declining moral values and lack of community involvement as major factors affecting boys’ development.
“Parenting is everybody’s business. Teachers have a role to play. Churches have a role to play. Society has a role to play,” she added.
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Principal of Federal Government Boys College, Mr Ogunsina Joshua, however expressed confidence in the potential of the students, describing them as disciplined and responsible.
“Yes, they are boys, but they are good, humble and obedient. We can count on this that tomorrow will be better for Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Solomon Amaku thanked the organisers for recognising the importance of boys in nation-building.
“We thank them for encouraging boys on what they are supposed to do and being better men in the future,” he said.
The event featured football matches, mentorship talks, dance competitions and the presentation of gifts including Bibles, books, water bottles and writing materials to students who demonstrated good conduct
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