Nigeria’s future at risk over neglected boy child — Aregbesola

By Luminous Jannamike

Nigeria’s future could be in danger if the growing neglect of the boy child continues, former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola has warned, saying millions of young boys are being left without the education and support they need to grow into responsible citizens.

The former governor of Osun State said the situation has created a troubling gap: society expects boys to grow into strong, responsible men, yet many of them are growing up without the emotional, educational and economic support needed to reach that goal.

Aregbesola spoke in Abuja at the AfriCultural Fashion Show and Awards organised by the Global Awareness for Development Initiatives, where he addressed participants on the theme of empowering the African boy child.

“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,” Aregbesola said.

He said many boys, especially those from poor families, are forced to carry responsibilities far beyond their age. In many cases, they drop out of school to help support their households.

He added that the scale of the problem can already be seen across the country.

“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.

Across many cities, he noted, young boys can be seen on the streets trying to survive; hawking goods, begging for alms or cleaning car windshields in traffic.

Aregbesola warned that when a society leaves large numbers of young people without education or guidance, the consequences can be serious, with some eventually drifting into crime, drug abuse or migration abroad in search of opportunities.

He urged Nigerians to hold governments accountable for providing free and quality education for every child, describing education as one of the most important investments a country can make in its future.

According to him, education should be free from the basic level up to pre-degree stages, while university education should remain affordable for the average Nigerian.

Reflecting on his time in office, Aregbesola said his administration in Osun State introduced several programmes aimed at expanding access to education and supporting young people.

These included free schooling, meals for about 150,000 elementary school pupils, the distribution of school uniforms and the construction of large modern school facilities designed to accommodate thousands of students.

He also highlighted youth empowerment programmes such as the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, which created employment opportunities for unemployed youths.

Schools in the state also introduced character-building clubs meant to promote discipline, courage and integrity among students, he added.

“If the boy child in Nigeria has no future worthy to live in, no other citizen can hope for a better future,” Aregbesola said.

He called on Nigerians to work together to build a society based on social justice and humanism, stressing that securing the future of both boys and girls remains essential to the country’s long-term development.

The post Nigeria’s future at risk over neglected boy child — Aregbesola appeared first on Vanguard News.