The viral footage is shocking because it was seen — not because it is rare. That distinction should trouble us deeply. By Ola Akinwe | Founder, Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (BMAN) EDITOR’S NOTE In March 2026, a video emerged showing a student at Igbinedion Education Centre, Benin, Edo State, being beaten by two fellow students
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“Hug Your Son, Raise a Man” calls fathers worldwide to close the emotional gap with their sons — one hug at a time Lagos, Nigeria — March 18, 2026-The Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (BMAN), an international non-governmental organisation dedicated to the development and wellbeing of boys and young men, today announced the release of Hug
What Global Research Reveals About Young Men, Motivation, and the Future of Education Editor’s Note This essay explores a growing global concern: the widening engagement gap between boys and formal education. Drawing on international research and more than a decade of field experience mentoring boys, BMAN Founder Ola Akinwe examines why young men thrive in
Editor’s Note As traditional mentorship faces a global crisis, a new authority has filled the silence: the Digital Father. In this urgent commentary, Ola Akinwe explores the Relational Poverty driving millions of boys to seek identity through algorithms rather than human connection. It is a vital call to action for anyone committed to reclaiming the
Dear Parent, You did not sign up for this particular version of parenthood. Nobody warned you that raising a boy in this specific moment in history would require not just love and patience, but a kind of quiet, determined vigilance — the vigilance of someone who senses that the world is pulling in one direction,
While the world rallies for victims it can see, countless boys suffer unseen. Their stories have been overlooked until now. The Silence Around an Overlooked Reality When a girl is sexually assaulted, the world responds with urgency and moral clarity. Headlines appear across major news outlets, social media fills with hashtags demanding justice, and communities
Picture a boy, around twelve years old. He is bright, curious, full of energy. Then something shifts. Gradually, the spark dims. He becomes quieter. His grades slip. He stops showing up — first to school events, then to family conversations, and eventually to life itself. His parents notice. His teachers notice. But no one quite
Many mothers quietly carry the same fear. “I think I’m losing my son.” He used to talk to you about everything. His school day. His friends. His dreams. But now something has changed. He stays in his room more. He answers in short sentences. Sometimes he seems distant, even irritated. And the question many mothers ask themselves
Let’s tell the truth for a minute. If you ask the average Nigerian why young boys drift into cybercrime (Yahoo), rituals, or gangs, they will give you the same tired answer: “It’s poverty, Ola. The economy is hard. There are no jobs.” It sounds logical. It sounds compassionate. But it’s a lie. If poverty were
LAGOS, NIGERIA – January 27, 2026 – The Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (BMAN), a leading non-governmental organization dedicated to guiding the boy child on the path to responsible manhood, is proud to announce that it has received Final Approval for its Operational License from the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development. This significant










