Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hazmat and the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, have warned teenagers against using illicit drugs.
They described the act as ‘inimical to human survival’.
The trio spoke when Mrs. Sanwo-Olu led 200 boys to visit the deputy governor and chief judge in their offices. It was the first day of three three-day ‘2025 Lagos Boy-Child Initiative Residential Workshop’, organised by the Office of the governor’s wife.
The boys were selected from secondary schools across the state.
Hamzat urged the boys to see their visit to his office as an opportunity to reflect on their future.
He also admonished them to take control of their future by concentrating on their studies and staying away from drug abuse.
The deputy governor advised the boys to shun the notion that ‘education is a scam’, saying many rich men today like Elon Musk, are educated and successful in their fields.
He said: “It is an opportunity you are here and you should grab it. There are lots of credible things on social media and other vile things. As a nation, we must plan to fulfil our destiny. You must pray and listen to your parents. Tomorrow is certain but you must grab the future.”
Alogba urged the boys to take the ‘golden opportunity ‘ of the workshop to ‘rebrand’ themselves and ‘not make a mess of it.’
“Whatever you become in life is what you do with your hands and brain. Where you came from does not matter. It’s a golden opportunity for you to disabuse your mind that only children of the rich can become somebody in life. Make good use of your opportunity.”
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The chief justice praised Sanwo-Olu for the initiative and expressed excitement at mentoring the boys.
Mrs. Sanwo-Olu said the initiative was designed to groom boys for purposeful living while building a network of future leaders and advocates.
According to her, the initiative, over the years, has addressed many of the silent challenges boys face while the government has also taken deliberate steps to provide lasting solutions through various workshops designed for the boys, their parents, and other stakeholders.
She said some objectives of the Lagos Boy-Child Initiative include ‘raising awareness of the rights and welfare of the boy-child, promoting educational opportunities for male children, especially those from indigent backgrounds, facilitating the rehabilitation of vulnerable boys through structured referral systems, and to nurture a new generation of well-rounded young men who will contribute positively to society’.
The governor’s wife added that the theme of this year’s workshop, ‘Empowering the Boy-Child to be a Well-Rounded Individual for the Future’, reflects the government’s commitment to raising visionary leaders, responsible future fathers, and husbands.
Over 400 boys participated in the 2022 and 2024 camping workshop.