THE Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has commended his wife, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, for championing the Lagos Boy Child Initiative (LBCI) as a way of instilling positive morals in boys and enlightening parents on behavioural management of the boy child.
Sanwo-Olu gave the commendation at the 2023 Lagos Boy Child Initiative Parenting Seminar held on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at the Villa Park Hotels & Suites, Plot 76, Link Road, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos.
The Governor, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Pharm. Toyin Oke-Osanyitolu mentioned that the Lagos State Government is pleased to identify with the initiative and the goals it seeks to achieve in line with the vision and commitment to his administration’s policy of inclusion as a strategy for sustainable development.
Sanwo-Olu also identified the lack of good parenting and societal perception in the upbringing of the male child as some of the factors inhibiting the boy-child from attaining their full potential.
He, however, advocated a change of mindset and the realisation that every responsible and well-brought-up girl child will also need to be complemented by a responsible and well-brought-up male child.
Speaking during the event, the First Lady, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, encouraged parents to be deliberate in their actions towards their children regardless of their gender, maintaining that training the boy child requires painstaking efforts and a series of counselling sessions.
“I want to encourage all stakeholders present to encourage not only our children but others around us. When we see potential in them, let’s encourage them to develop it. In our little way, let’s support the dreams of children around us to make the world a better and safer place to live,” she stated.
She then presented cash and gift prizes to the top four winners of the inaugural talent hunt competition earlier organised by her office, just as she gave consolation prizes to other winners, referring to all the 13 boys that participated in the competition as champions and encouraged them to continue to hone their creative skills.
The competition was done in two categories: Creative and Visual Arts and Science and Technology, under which we have Robotics and Mechatronics, and the prizes were awarded to both senior and junior categories.
The Governor’s wife also applauded the benevolent gesture of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, for awarding a student of Lagos State University (LASU), Miss Maryam Aramide Abdulrasaq, a scholarship under the Renewed Hope Initiative through its National Scholarship Programme (NASP) Tertiary Education.