The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency recently commemorated the International Day of the Boy Child across several schools in the state, through its Kings Club Initiative. The Executive Secretary of the agency, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, was represented by the Head of Community Engagement, Mr Damilare Adewusi, who spoke to students about mental health issues and called for more awareness and attention to be given to the boy child.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that there was a need to pay more attention to the well-being of the boy child and for them to feel happy, healthy, and valued within their families and communities. This year’s International Day of the Boy Child, observed on May 16th, had the theme, “Boys Cry Too.” It was founded in 2018 by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, a university lecturer from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, who highlighted the pressing issues of crime and violence involving young boys.
“There is an urgent need to focus on the home and school to save the boy child,” said Vivour-Adeniyi, emphasizing that parents, guardians, and teachers in various communities and schools must equip the boy child accordingly, to positively impact their future.
The schools visited by the agency’s representatives, as part of their Kings Club Initiative, included Agidingbi Grammar School (Junior and Senior); Ojodu Junior High School; Babs Fafunwa Memorial Senior Secondary School; Ikeja Junior College; Bolade Junior Grammar School; Unity Junior High School; Immaculate Senior High School; and Mende Junior/Senior High School.
In conclusion, there is a need to prioritize the mental health of the boy child in Nigeria, as they are often neglected or fed a diet of hate and violence. Attention should be paid to their emotional needs, and they should be received with love, care, and nurturing, to reduce the incidence of misguided and confused teenagers who may be inclined to violence and crime.
