Sanwo-Olu: The Boy-Child Should Have Opportunities to Excel Too

Segun James 

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, said the boy-child should also be given the opportunity to excel, even as he tasked them to be good ambassadors of their schools and the state.

The governor, who spoke at the 3rd day of the 2026 4-Day residential workshop for outstanding students with the theme, ‘Reorienting The Boy-Child To Become An Ambassador of Societal Change,’ held at St. Gregory College, Ikoyi for 600 boys selected from secondary schools across the state, said they should strive for excellence in order to be the difference in life’s journey.

The programme, which is part of the ‘Lagos Boy Child Initiative,’ is an idea of the state’s First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu. 

Addressing the students, Sanwo-Olu said, “This morning, going into afternoon, I’m truly proud and grateful to God Almighty that has given this initiative a real path.

“And you have all been carefully selected from almost 60 schools from the public schools, private schools, special schools, faith-based schools to religious organizational schools. You can see that no one has been left behind.”

The governor noted that the First Lady in company with the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, had made “a clear representation of the entire voices that we have in all of our states and so you need to know that you’re part of the lucky ones.

“The opportunities that they’ve been given to you, we never had those opportunities. I stand here, I can be your governor, be your father but we did not have that opportunity. Throughout my growing up I never saw a governor or even a commissioner in front of me.

“You’ve been given an opportunity that should stay with you for the rest of your life. You’ve been given an opportunity to learn things that we never learned. 

“Two days ago, some of you went inside a military aircraft, up until five, ten years ago, I don’t even know what they look like, some of you went into war ship, some of you went to the State Department Security, some of you had handshakes with police officers, you went to places that we as your parents never had the opportunity of going to. 

“You can see that even from now your tomorrow will certainly be better than even the tomorrow that we had. That your tomorrow will be better, the opportunity that this is giving to you is for you to become a better citizen tomorrow.

“To become a better grown up adult, that your parents will be proud of your school, will be proud of your community, will be proud of your your siblings, will be proud of wherever it is you find yourself. 

“This is a rare opportunity for these four days, for you to have a better understanding of what the future holds for you, you’ve been taught leadership, you’ve been taught mentoring you’ve been taught discipline, you’ve been taught working together as a team. 

“As a group, you’ve worked together, you’ve slept together, you’ve eaten together, you’ve done so many things together. So it’s meant to be a life-changing opportunity for you. You should not waste or lose this opportunity. 

“They’ve explained to you the good, the bad and the ugly of social media. They are not going to tell you not to go on TiK Tok or Snapchat, but you have to do it in moderation. It cannot be bigger than your studies, it cannot be bigger than what life that is ahead of you.”