A Child Protection Specialist, Mr. Taiwo Akinlami, has said that young boys should use their masculinity to promote kindness and empathy, to combat the scourge of bullying in adolescents.
Akinlami gave the charge on Wednesday while giving a keynote speech at a debate for the members of the Kings Club Initiative on “Sexual and Domestic Violence: Who is to blame? The Society or The Perpetrator”.
The Kings Club is an initiative of the Lagos State Government establishing an alliance for young boys that advocates positive masculinity.
“Being a man does not make you an oppressor and a bully. Also, Gender does not mean superiority, it means roles. Women are yet to be recognized the way they should be recognized in society,” Akinlami said.
He said that the orientation of a man being superior to a woman needs to be changed, and urged the young boys present to take a pledge to shun bullying and promote kindness.
On his part, the Lagos State Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mr. Olusegun Dawodu, said that the wellness of school children is paramount to the administration of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Dawodu, who was represented by Mrs. Mujidat Oladipo, the Director of the School Social Work Department, noted that the family is the first agent of socialization.
“Going by the theme of this debate, we should not forget that a family is a unit in society, and perpetrators of violence come out of the family.
“I congratulate all participants for being in this program. All hands must be on deck to ensure that children are good members of society,” the Commissioner said.
The debate, organized by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), is to commemorate the United Nations 16-Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Girls.
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Mende Senior and Junior High School and the Immaculate Heart Comprehensive Senior and Junior High School participated in the debate.
The winner of the debate with a score of 337 points and a cash prize of N50,000 each for the debaters was the Immaculate Heart Senior High School.
