By: Tolulope Oluwole
Ondo State Government, through the office of the Special Adviser on Gender has trained and empowered 127 boys on Information Communication Technology (ICT), baking, painting, entrepreneurship, graphics, coding among others.
The second edition of the programme tagged ‘Ondo Super Boy Tech-n -LEAD Camp 2.0’, was aimed at harnessing the potentials of adolescent boys to take advantage of the benefits of the technological advancement of the 21st century as well build leadership skills in them.
The 12 days camping exercise held at the Seat of Wisdom College, Alagbaka, Akure, with participants trained in the basic knowledge of technology, skills acquisition, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Leadership, Entrepreneurship skills and Attitude building sessions, sports, among others.
Addressing the participants, the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Gender, Hon Olamide Falana stated that the essence of gender equality is ensuring that both sexes are treated with the same equally as that is the way to achieve the goal of not leaving anyone behind.
Acording to her, the initiative has the intention of ensuring that young boys have the advantage that girls in the state already have.
Falana said, “Even though there’s a global gender inequality gap, we also do not want to leave any gender behind, thereby creating a local inequality in our own community. That’s why we have this program, to target our adolescent boys, building in them leadership skills, entrepreneurship ability and right attitude in them.
“We believe that when they have these skills, it will go a long way in molding them and it will set their foot on the right path when they eventually become men. It will open their eyes to ways of making money,” Falana said.
The Special Adviser urged them to make good use of what they have learnt at the camp and imbibe them in their day to day activities as it will help them get to the top in any career they choose.
The Director of Super Boy Nigeria, Mrs Taiwo Akindeko said the initiative is aimed at building and empowering young boys from the scratch.
She stressed that the boys were taught with bible based principles on the way to go in life.
Akindeko said the vision is to raise the boys to greatness as the focus of the society has always been on girl- child only.
While addressing the participants during the closing ceremony of the programme, the Acting Governor of the State, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa said that the State government would continue to support the initiative to ensure boy-child in the State benefit maximally from the programme.
The Acting Governor who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths and Students Affairs, Hon Muyiwa Ogunyemi, charged participants to dispense and showcase the capacity of the training which he believes will make them compete with their peers across the World.
Ayedatiwa revealed that “the state government would continue to support the initiative of the gender office, so that the boys would continue to enjoy and boost their knowledge in every area, when they get to a certain age, they will be able to compete with their mates and can make good money.
The State First Lady, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu who was represented by Prince Alex Uka opined that it is important to raise and empower the boy child just like the girls.
Anyanwu- Akeredolu also encouraged them to be courageous, bold, face the reality of life, urging them to also go into the world and make significant impacts.
The Commissioner for Environment, Hon Sunday Akinwalere applauded the initiative, stressing that it will go a long way towards changing the orientation of the society when the youths are being taken care of right from the scratch.
The Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Education, Mrs Olawunmi Ilawole, while congratulating the boys on the successful completion of their training, urged them to think and develop themselves for the future, “put the training into practice and use the experience they have gained to change the world.”
Ilawole also advised the parents to support and encourage their children to take the training to the next level.
One of the parents, Mrs Mojisola Onile appreciated the state government though the Special Adviser on Gender, Hon Olamide Falana for her vision in coming up with such massive initiative, stressing that she has seen the impact on her son.
She added that she would do all her best to make sure that her boy will be able to practice all that he learnt in the camp.
Oluwaseyi Omolade, one of the participants expressed his gratitude and happiness, noting that the camp helped them a lot in acquiring more skills in technology as well as sports.
Eriifeoluwa Hungbeji, another participant revealed that all they were taught are all important and it is what every boy out there should go for.
The participants commended the state government and Hon Falana for adding values to their lives.
