Women Affairs Minister seeks protection, mentorship for boy child

Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has called on families to listen, and raise the boy child with purpose and tenderness, courage and care, as the world commemorates the 2025 International Day of The Boy Child, themed ‘Building Self-esteem in Boys: Stand Up, Be Heard, Be Seen’.

In a statement on Friday by her Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Mr Jonathan Eze, the minister stated that it is a mandate for every family, every school, every faith institution, and every policy table, to pay attention to the development of the boy child.

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The minister who had always advocated for family cohesion, called for protection for boy child, noted that for too long, national programming and advocacy have rightly focused on addressing the historic marginalization of the girl-child, noting that unintentionally, though, overlooked the unique vulnerabilities of the boy-child.

Minister Imaan expressed that the imbalance has created a silent crisis; one where boys are left without adequate emotional support, mentorship, or protection.

She said, “Today, as the sun rises across our great Nation, Nigeria; from the creeks of the Niger-Delta to the hills of the North, from the villages of the East to the bustling towns of the West; we turn our hearts and focus to the boy-child; often seen, yet not always heard; always expected to be strong, but rarely given the room to simply be whole.

“The International Day of the Boy Child is more than a calendar event for me as the Minister of Women Affairs; it is a call. A call to see our boys, to hear them, to raise them with purpose and tenderness, courage and care.

“As the National Mechanism for the advancement of Women, Children, Families and other vulnerable groups in the country, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs bears the sacred duty to ensure that no child is forgotten or forsaken in our national journey. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, we are advancing a powerful truth: inclusive development must begin at the foundation, with the family, the child, and the community.

“Through our programmes on family cohesion and community empowerment, we are sowing seeds in the soil of all 774 Local Government Areas. These seeds are for the boy-child who dreams beneath a leaking roof. For the boy silenced by the fear of ridicule. For the boy told that real men do not cry. In this transformative journey, we are here to rewrite that story.

“I say to every Nigerian boy: Stand up. Be proud. Learn. Lead. Respect. Dream. You are not invisible; you are not disposable; you are not just a number or a stereotype. You are the beating heart of a nation that cannot afford to lose you.

“Let this era of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, be that era where we raise boys who know that education is not a burden but a birthright. Boys who learn that mutual respect is not a weakness but a strength. Boys who will not only stand up for themselves, but will also stand up for others; for girls, for the vulnerable, for justice.

“We must end the culture of silence that teaches boys to lock away their fears, to weaponize their strength, or to shrink their sensitivity. We must raise boys who know that they do not have to choose between power and peace; they can be both strong and kind.

“To the homes across our beloved nation; your living rooms are shaping tomorrow’s leaders. To our schools; let your classrooms teach both knowledge and character. To our spiritual and cultural leaders; use your platforms to shape not just beliefs, but behaviour. To our lawmakers and partners; the boy-child deserves more than rhetoric. He deserves policies. Budgets. Protection. Mentorship. Opportunity.

“Let this message echo through every town hall and television screen, every mosque and cathedral, every playground and parliament: that we are not raising boys to dominate. We are raising them to transform. Transform their families. Their communities. Their country. And above all, themselves.

“This is the vision. This is the charge. This is the moment. This is our Clarion Call under the new mandate of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Happy International Day of the Boy Child, Nigeria. May every boy be seen. May every voice be heard. And may we never again build a nation that leaves its sons behind.”

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