Key points
- Former NBA Abuja Chairman Afam Okeke stated that raising the boy-child intentionally is critical to reducing gender-based and domestic violence in Nigeria.
- Okeke made the remarks during an interview in Abuja to mark the 2026 International Day of the Boy-Child, celebrated annually on May 16.
- This year’s theme, ‘Flourish and Thrive: Investing in Boys for Stronger Families and Communities’, focuses on mentorship and emotional well-being.
- The legal practitioner criticized cultural inclinations that assume boys are naturally resilient, leading to societal neglect of their specific challenges.
- He called for teaching boys emotional intelligence, domestic responsibility, and respect for women to build a gender-balanced society.
Main Story
The former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Abuja branch, Afam Okeke, has stated that raising the boy-child into a responsible adult man will help curb gender and domestic violence in the country.
Okeke disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja in commemoration of the 2026 International Day of the Boy-Child. He noted that the challenges of domestic, sexual, and social violence will become easier to handle if the boy-child is fully involved through proper guidance, support, and empowerment.
The legal practitioner explained that society has traditionally perceived the boy-child as being strong and resilient, thereby paying little or no attention to issues affecting male children.
He stated that there is an urgent need to address emotional mentorship, value-based upbringing, and basic household skills so that boys can become true partners in their future homes.
Okeke added that teaching boys to safely express and regulate their emotions builds better mental health, reduces aggression, and helps replace cultural habits of dominance with fairness and accountability.
The Issues
- Persistent cultural stereotypes create a systemic blind spot, causing families and policymakers to ignore the emotional vulnerabilities and mental health struggles unique to young males.
- The lack of structured mentorship programs for boys leaves a vacuum that exposes them to negative societal influences, peer pressure, and aggressive behaviors.
- Traditional gender roles in homes continue to limit the domestic training of boys, hindering the development of shared responsibility in adult relationships.
What’s Being Said
- “Beyond academics and success, there is a growing need to address emotional and health mentorship, and value based upbringing of the boy-child,” Afam Okeke stated.
- “Strength is not just physical; it is also emotional intelligence, discipline and character,” Okeke added during the interview.
- “As a society, we must be intentional about raising boys who are confident, responsible, respectful, and equipped to lead with integrity,” he emphasized.
- “We perceive the boy-child as being strong and resilient, thereby paying little or no attention to issues affecting male children,” the former NBA chairman noted.
- “The future we desire begins with the boys we raise today,” he concluded.
What’s Next
- Non-governmental organizations and gender advocates are expected to launch new community initiatives targeting value-based upbringing and peer mentorship for boys.
- Civil society groups will likely increase pressure on schools to incorporate emotional intelligence and life skills training into their extracurricular frameworks.
- Community leaders will be encouraged to create safe spaces where young males can discuss mental health challenges and seek psychological support without stigma.
Bottom Line
Addressing Nigeria’s domestic violence crisis requires a fundamental shift toward the intentional upbringing of young males, moving past harmful stereotypes to cultivate emotional intelligence and mutual respect from childhood.
