By Nafisat Makinde
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.
The theme for this year’s celebration is ” Building Self-esteem in Boys: Stand Up, Be Heard, Be Seen”.
“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,” Minister Imaan said in a statement.
She emphasized that the unique vulnerabilities of the boy child have been overlooked for too long, creating a silent crisis where boys are left without adequate emotional support, mentorship, or protection.
“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,” she added.
The Minister called on homes, schools, spiritual and cultural leaders, lawmakers, and partners to play their roles in shaping the boy child’s development.
“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,” she said.
Minister Imaan emphasized that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is committed to ensuring that no child is forgotten or forsaken in Nigeria’s 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,” she stated.
She concluded by saying, “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.”
