NAOWA Chairperson Seeks Boy Child Protection Against Harmful Societal Influence

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The wife of General Officer Commanding 8 Division, and Chairperson of Nigerian Army Officer’s Wife Association ( NAOWA), Mrs Florence Godwin Mutkut, has advocated for the need to protect the boy-child from harmful societal influences.

She recommended the domestication of the boy child to have responsible men in society during the International Day of the Boy Child celebration held at 26, Battalion Parade ground, Giginya Barracks, Sokoto on May 16.

Mrs Mutkut noted that too many boys were invisible and forgotten.

“Many are equally marginalised, neglected, alienated, and left behind. That is why we need to do something for our boys before it is too late”, she noted.

She revealed further that boys’ enrollment in primary and secondary schools was on the decline while dropout is skyrocketing.

“There have been several reports on incidents that misguided the young boys to be involved in vices such as fraud, robbery, smoking, alcoholism, drug addicts, violence among others”, NAOWA Chairperson said, adding that the boy child should be given the right attention, care, guidance, and support for development and general well-being.

She urged the society to equally focus more on the boy child to upscale the gender gap.

According to her, “to have good society, we must train and a boy child, our president, vice president, Senate president, speaker of House of Representatives and the majority of our political leaders are men so if we don’t train boy child there is no future for this country.

“Most people in our society focus on training of girl child , we should equally carry out advocacy for the male child as well for healthy rivalry. We should also ensure we educate and equip them to be better boys and men in future”, she added.

She reminded the nation of the collective guilt in neglecting the boy-child, which led to the spate of insecurity bedeviling the nation from all angles and in all directions.

“As we celebrate the International Day of the Boy Child this year, let us reflect on the dangers of neglecting the boy-child. Let us look towards taking definite actions to address the neglect of the boy child.

“Let us summon the courage to end the phenomenon of street children by whatever name they are called. We should protect our boys as much as we protect our girls. World Day of the boy child celebrates all the positive elements that boys bring to their families and communities. It also sheds light on the issues and challenges that boys face as they develop.”

As part of the celebration, Mrs Mutkut with boys from NAOWA Nursery and Primary School, and boys from Command Secondary School marched from 26 battalion Giginya Barracks to headquarters of 8 Division, where she addressed the media on the importance of the celebration.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of papers by facilitators.