Lagos Commissioner, Mudi Africa charge boys on discipline

…as LBCI’s 3-day workshop ends in Agbowa

By Adeola Ogunrinde

The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, and the Chief Executive Officer of Mudi Africa, Mudiagha Clement, have urged boys to embrace discipline and focus to achieve their life goals.

Wahab and Mudi were among the panelists at the closing session of the three-day residential workshop, the Lagos Boy Child Initiative (LBCI), organized by Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, at Agbowa-Ikosi Model College.

Over 200 boys from private and public schools, orphanages, and technical schools participated in the workshop. This year’s edition was the third in the series, following the first and second editions held in 2022 and 2024, with over 400 boys benefiting from the initiative.

While addressing the boys, Wahab encouraged them not to let their backgrounds limit their potential. He also advised them to stay consistent and avoid distractions.

“Find your purpose in life. Don’t let your background limit you. Ensure you have discipline. Have the courage to say NO at times and learn to speak out. Be consistent and don’t get distracted. Don’t chase money—chase your dreams, and the money will come,” Wahab said.

He further emphasized, “Don’t be discouraged by the circumstances of your birth or environment. Every boy should have a clear vision of what he wants in life.”

Wahab also commended First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu for organizing an initiative that focuses on boys, noting that nurturing boys helps build the foundation of a strong home.

Mudi, emphasizing the need for discipline, advised the boys on self-improvement and noted that talent alone is not enough without discipline.

“You must have vision. No matter how talented you are, you must have discipline. Improve yourself and focus on your education,” Mudi said.

The workshop concluded with a cooking competition among five groups of five boys each. Team Ikeja emerged the winners, with each member receiving a shopping voucher worth N100,000. Members of Team Lagos Island, which came in second, and Team Epe, which placed third, each received shopping vouchers worth N50,000.

Some participants expressed gratitude for the initiative. Oluwole Oluwatoba from St. Thomas Catholic School said the knowledge gained during the three-day camping would benefit his career.

“I love the way everything was organized. I want to thank the First Lady for the program. I learned we should go against drug abuse, rape, and gender-based violence. We thank her for this initiative,” Oluwatoba said.

Nwokorie Emmanuel from Air Force Secondary School, Shasha, added, “I learned a lot. I met the deputy governor of Lagos State and the Chief Judge. I thank Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu for giving me the opportunity to be part of this program.”