Prince Dan Olaitan Dada, Founder & Convener, Sanity Multi-Efforts Forum (SMEF) says the time has come for all stakeholders in the country to celebrate the impact and values of the boy child.
Prince Dan in a statement while reacting to the Special attention given to the Boy Child by the Inspector General of Police, said It’s Time We Let Our Boys Breathe.
Read full statement below
I, Prince Dan Olaitan Dada, Founder and Convener of Sanity Multi-Efforts Forum, want to commend the Nigeria Police Force and IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu for marking the 2026 International Day of the Boy Child with action, not just talk.
The event at Force Headquarters, Abuja, with the themes “Flourish and Thrive” and “Breaking the Silence: Boys and Mental Health,” speaks to a crisis we have ignored for too long.
As someone working at the grassroots, I see daily how the “man up” culture is breaking our boys. We tell them to hide their pain, and then we wonder why they turn to drugs, cultism, and violence.
IGP Disu was right to tell those students that true strength is asking for help. And DCP Ibidapo Oludare Olubiyi was right to say that breaking the silence starts with safe spaces.
SMEF is calling on schools, religious leaders, and parents to follow this example. Set up counselling. Listen without judgment. Teach boys that emotions are not weakness.
At Sanity Multi-Efforts Forum, we are ready to work with any institution that wants to raise boys who are not just strong, but whole.
Nigeria cannot afford another generation of silent, broken men. Let’s invest in our boys now.
