A Conversation Between Psychologist Dr. Judy Chu and Ola Akinwe What Is the Digital Father? “The invisible system of algorithms, influencers, and digital platforms increasingly mediating how boys construct identity, meaning, and masculine self-concept.” These systems influence how boys think, behave, and form identity often without intentional human direction. There is a quiet shift unfolding
Category Archives: Parenting & Family
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
“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
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,
A boy who seems “difficult” at home or in the classroom may not be a problem at all—he may simply be a personality that has not yet been understood. As a mentor for boys and the founder of the Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (BMAN), I hear the same questions from parents, educators, and caregivers again






