Aregbesola Seeks Urgent Action On Boy-child Development

Former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has called for urgent societal and government intervention to address what he described as the growing neglect of the boy child in Nigeria, warning that the country’s future could be at risk if millions of young boys remain abandoned and uneducated.

Aregbesola made the call in Abuja while speaking as special guest of honour at the maiden edition of the AfriCultural Fashion Show and Awards organised by Global Awareness for Development Initiatives.

Speaking on the theme of empowering the African boy child, the former interior minister said that while advocacy for the girl child remains important, the plight of boys who face immense societal expectations without adequate support must not be ignored.

According to him, society often expects boys to grow into responsible men without providing the emotional, educational and economic support necessary for healthy development.

“The boy child floats and sinks in a society that has largely failed him but expects him to be a good citizen, a patriot and a nationalist,” Aregbesola said.

He lamented that many boys, particularly those from disadvantaged families, are forced to shoulder responsibilities beyond their age, often abandoning their education to support their households.

The former governor also expressed concern over the growing number of out-of-school children across the country, describing the situation as a serious threat to Nigeria’s long-term stability.

Aregbesola noted that millions of boys can be seen on the streets across major cities, including Abuja, engaging in menial activities such as hawking goods, begging for alms, or cleaning car windshields in traffic in order to survive.

“The more tragic part for all of us is that here in Nigeria, there are about twenty million of those kids out of school roaming our villages, towns and cities,” he said.

He therefore called for coordinated action from government institutions, communities and civil society organisations to develop programmes that provide education, mentorship and social protection for vulnerable boys.

According to him, empowering the boy child is critical to building a balanced and stable society, stressing that neglecting the challenges facing young boys could have far-reaching social and economic consequences for the country.