Mimi Chiadikaobi, Awka
Mr Chuka Nnabuife Managing Director, Anambra State Civic and Social Reformation Office (ANCISRO)has urged the public to develop a reformative and transformative method for grooming a boy child as an agent of society development.
He made the call during the 2025 International Day of the boy child held in collaboration with E-KEEPAS ENTERPRISE in Awka on Thursday.
The ANCISRO boss said that the boys’ day celebration is held annually on May 16th, a day dedicated to recognizing the potential, challenges, and dreams of boys everywhere.
He said that The theme for the year celebrations tagged ” Boys Today, Great Men Tomorrow” is apt and need to ginger parents to pay good attention in raising the boy child.
Nnabuife said that same measure and attention given to grooming a girl child should be directed toward rearing boy child.
He called on parents to see reasons to reshape the manner used in training the children on basic values of life knowing that a boy child is as important as the girl child.
Ms Ukpa Ewa, Communication Officer E-KEEPAS Enterprise said that the job of the Enterprise basically is to bridge the hollow in manner of raising the boy child
Ewa said that the E-KEEPAS ENTERPRISE holds the boy child celebration on May 16 though it is yet to be recognised by the United Nation but they are pushing with it’s transformational ideas in boy child training and celebration.
Mr Akachukwu Maduakolam, a legal practitioner and the Keynote Speaker said that is time parents engage the principle of equality in raising a boy child like the girl child so that their best will be seen.
The Keynote Speaker said that Raising sons simply means creating men of the future, Men with integrity and heart. It means allowing for failure and correction and taking responsibility.
He said that boys are human and has feelings like the girl child as such should be encouraged to express themselves naturally without inhibitions of any type and advising them accordingly.
Ms Hope Okoye ,Executive Assistant to Gov.Charles Soludo on Women Affairs and a child Protection Officer said that all child enjoys same measure of training back home.
Okoye said that it is the Igbo culture where much emphasis are laid on boy child that makes it look as if there are disparity but is not true because the role of a boy child is clear in the development of the society.
She said that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition(VAPP)Act of 2015 did not discriminate between gender rather punishes one as the offense demands.
Okoye explained that the goal of the Act is to “eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against persons and to provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders; and for related matters”.
The child protection officer said that the VAPPlaws do not discriminate who a boy is or a girl but dishes justice to anyone as is deemed right only that female’s tenderness makes it look otherwise.
Okoye urged the boy child to stand for right living always as it promotes better life and shun any act capable of treating them lawfully.
She said that the boys should be mindful of their attitude and the association they keep because ” All things are permissible but not all things are beneficial” Okoye advised.
Mr Ken Okoli, President,Association of Youth Leaders,a wing of Anambra State Association of Town Unions(ASATU) the umbrella body of the 189 town unions in Anambra,commended the organisers for their innovation and pray it yields expected results.
Okoil said that the E- KEEPAS and ANCISRO have opened a worthy channel to tell the boy child how much they are valued and expected right attitudes as a boy child.
Okoil advised the boy child to learn how to pick good morals like respect for people, honesty, shun peer group negative influences,teaching themselves values by picking good ideas from its backgrounds.
“Shun abuse of substances at a young age, do not get involved in wrong associations as such may leads one to suffer from mental health problems such as depression.
“Some may loose track and do poorly in school or drop out or engage in unplanned crimes,” he said
He said that the boy child celebration will end disparities among boys raising based on race and ethnicity, family structure, socioeconomic status.
He encouraged the boy child to guide selves with Anambra article of faith namely Fear of God, Patriotism, Self- reliance , Displine, Diginity of Labour amongst others.
Earlier the Chairman of the events,Dr Law Mefor, Anambra Commissioner for Information, hailed the idea and said that gender bias have been broken.
Mefor declared the event open and advised the young boys in attendance to embrace hard work and honesty in life.
The commissioner advised the young boys in attendance from from some schools in the state nanely Gran Hermano Academy, Okpuno Community Secondary school, Rehoboth International Secondary school Okpuno, to take the message learnt in the program to their schools and inform others of their gains.
Mr Chigozie Nweke,President of Non-Indigenes in Anambra said that exposure been given to the boy child is transformative and welcoming as it will reset the belief that boy child is diehard,they need care and love too
Nweke praised Soludo’s government for creating environment for creative changes in the state and room for proper orientation to youths which has reduced criminality.
Master Jerry Ekwue a student of Gran Hermano Academy said that the teaching is reformative and was pleased to be in attendance.
Master Jephat Djarkwa,another student from Rehoboth International Secondary school Okpuno, assured that they will share the knowledge gained in the program with school mates,friends and family members.
reports that some religious leaders and community leaders were in attendance for effective dissemination of the teaching to the larger society.End.
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