No fewer than 1,500 schoolboys drawn from over 100 secondary schools in Enugu State participated in this year’s life-changing mentorship programme on mental health and wellbeing organised by a non-profit organisation, Boys Champions.
The event tagged, Boys to Men Summit, focused on the theme, “Boys Health and Wellbeing Matter”.
The event, held at The Base Landmark to commemorate this year’s International Day of the Boy Child, featured boys and young men between the ages of 18-30 years, with female students also in attendance.
The founder of Boys Champions, Noel Ifeanyi Alumona, said the programme became necessary to boost the mental health of young men and heal them of negative influences.
READ ALSO: At Ikogosi Warm Springs, nature is king
The event became a platform for schoolboys to discuss pertinent issues on their mental health, wellbeing and masculinity. Having a conversation between both genders, according to the organisers, would foster mutual respect, and build a more empathetic, respectful and inclusive society.
The programme was organised by Boys Champions under the People’s Project, featuring key speakers and guests, including: Noel Ifeanyi Alumona, Maxwell Thurston, the Co-founder of Learning Without Limit, Dr. Alison Milofsky, MEDHRUS Medical Team, Havfy, Aproko Doctor, Hon. Mrs. Ngozi Enih, Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Remarkable Mary, Kelvin Onovo alongside other industry leaders.
The sessions were educative and interactive, as experts in special education discussed the summit theme.
Addressing the participants, the Enugu State Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, emphasised the importance of recognising boys as a vulnerable group and encouraging them to express their struggles, instead of dwelling in silent rage.
She urged parents to pay close attention to their children and desist from negative comments that could hurt a child.
Mrs. Enih pleaded with parents to be less aggressive towards their boys, and encouraged them to share their silent pains and struggles for balanced mental development.
In his presentation, popular social media celebrity doctor, Dr. Egemba Chinonso Fidelis, with the social media handle of Aproko Doctor, highlighted the need for parents to acknowledge their limitations and seek improved parenting methods.
He noted that boys deserve affection, insisting that affection must not only be romantically inclined.
He urged older men to normalise being present for the younger boys.
He kicked against the use of drugs by boys, stressing that drugs can never be a means of escape for the problems men face.
In her creative rendition on stage, award winning writer and poet, Hafsat Abdullahi (Havfy), emphasised the need for boys to speak up and be heard. Her poems highlighted the need to constantly reassure young men that their vulnerability could also become a source of strength, if properly harnessed.
The panel sessions had Noel, the founder of Boys Champions, Kelvin Onovo and Chinonso Egemba share their life stories while encouraging positive masculinity.
The sessions also emphasised the need for older men to become positive role models to younger boys, as their experiences at a young age could shape the men they grow up to become.
The MEDHRUS Medical Team also utilised the opportunity to create awareness on the adverse effects of hypertension, its causes and mindful prevention practices. The team offered blood pressure checks and medical advice for the participants