Aregbesola advocates for empowerment of boy child
Former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has called on the federal government and other stakeholders to take urgent steps to empower the boy child, warning that continued neglect of millions
Former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has called on the federal government and other stakeholders to take urgent steps to empower the boy child, warning that continued neglect of millions of young boys could pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s future.
Aregbesola made the appeal in Abuja while speaking as special guest of honour at the maiden edition of the AfriCultural Fashion Show and Awards organised by the Global Awareness for Development Initiatives.
Speaking on the theme of empowering the African boy child, the former minister said that although advocacy for the girl child remains important, the challenges facing boys across the country must not be ignored.
According to him, society often expects boys to grow into responsible men and leaders while denying them the emotional, social, and economic support needed for proper development.
The former Minister said: “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.”
He lamented that many boys, particularly from low-income families, are forced to assume responsibilities beyond their age, often abandoning their education to support their households.
The former governor of Osun State expressed concern over the growing number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, describing the situation as a major challenge that requires immediate attention.
Aregbesola noted that across cities such as Abuja, young boys can be seen hawking goods, begging for alms, and cleaning vehicle windshields in traffic 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 warned that a society with a large population of uneducated and neglected youths risks producing adults who may resort to crime, drug abuse, or migration abroad in search of better opportunities.
To address the challenge, Aregbesola urged citizens to hold governments accountable for providing free and quality education for all children, describing education as a critical social investment.
He advocated free education from the basic level to pre-degree stages and called for affordable university education accessible to the average Nigerian.
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Reflecting on his tenure as governor of Osun State, Aregbesola said his administration introduced policies aimed at improving access to education and empowering young people.
These included free education, provision of meals for about 150,000 elementary school pupils, distribution of school uniforms, and the construction of modern school facilities capable of accommodating thousands of students.
He also highlighted youth empowerment initiatives such as the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES), which created employment opportunities for unemployed youths.
Aregbesola further stressed the need for character-building programmes in schools to promote discipline, courage, and integrity among students.
He warned that Nigeria’s political and economic elites cannot shield themselves from the consequences of societal neglect.
“If the boy child in Nigeria has no future worthy to live in, no other citizen can hope for a better future,” he said.
He therefore called on government, civil society organisations, and citizens to work collectively towards building a society that guarantees opportunities and a better future for both boys and girls.
