As Nigeria joins the world  to commemorate the 2017 International Men’s Day (IMD)  for the first time, Churches have been enjoined to set  time apart to pray for men and boys on Sunday November 19 – in line with the year’s theme, Celebrate Men and Boys. Nigerians are also encouraged to add a touch of blue to their attire this weekend in their honour.

honour men is designed to focus more attention to the challenges faced by men and boys in Nigeria.

In observing the special day for men, Nigeria is joining over 60 countries of the world where International Men’s Day has been celebrated annually, for many years. The pioneering  effort of Kingdom Men and associates  is expected to be followed by the building of a broad national coalition of men to ensure that Nigeria henceforth joins the rest of the world in the annual programme.

As a part of the celebration of that day, which happens to be on a Sunday this year, churches are being called upon to set apart a few minutes during their services for special prayers for men and boys. The focus of the Prayer is that Nigerian men and boys shall grow in Christlikeness. Nigerians are also encouraged to have a touch of blue in their dresses that day in honour of men for the sacrifices they make as sons and brothers, husbands and fathers and as heads at home and leaders in communities.  

In Port Harcourt, where KINGDOM MEN is holding the Inaugural edition of its forum for the discussion of men issues, Men’s Breakfast Roundtable (MBR) on Saturday, November 18, the International Men’s Day will be a major highlight with goodwill messages from many men of God. The two-in-one event is scheduled for The Hub Event Centre, 187, Peter Odili Road, Trans Amadi Layout at 9:00am

Speaking on the essence of the Day, Kingdom Men’s Chief Vision Steward, Pastor Remi Akano said “it will help to sensitise the public, governments at all levels and the Faith groups on the need to pay closer attention to men and boys issues especially as the country grapples with socio-economic, political and moral adjustments.”

He declared: “A little more attention to the peculiar needs of men will contribute substantially to reducing many of our socio-political challenges; not because they are the direct cause, but because they have vicarious liabilities as heads of the most import single social unit, the family.”

Also speaking on the importance of the Day, Mr Deji Irawo, A men’s resource technocrat, who runs Men Alive Network, MAN, emphasised the need to pay more attention on the challenges that being a man or boy portend.

According to him, “while the world seem to have done fairly well in devoting immense time and resources to tackling women and girls issues, not much seem to have been done in dealing with men and boys issues. The perception that the male has it all in wrap is now being debunked when we consider the many challenges that the society and family face due to neglect of the man.”

In his own remark, Paul Osayande a pastor and gender equity campaigner, said “this year’s International Men’s Day provides us an opportunity to evaluate how well we have done with the men and boys issues, engage the critical stakeholders especially governments and the family to pay more attention to the men in our society, and more than that, for the women to appreciate the men in their lives as a way of reducing the rising cases of mental cases among men”.

It is noteworthy that the International Men’s Day (IMD) was borne out of the need to focus on men’s and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. In most countries, the event offers an opportunity for men to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care while highlighting the usually under-reported discrimination against men.

Founded in 1998 in Trinidad and Tobago, International Men’s Day (IMD) has become a rallying point for support for men and boys from individuals and social groups across the globe.

Typically, commemorating International Men’s Day have taken the form of public seminars, conferences, festivals and fundraisers, classroom activities at schools, radio and television programmes, among others.

Men Issues

Across the world, statistics indicate that men’s health is worse than women’s.

• Recent World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that, while male life expectancy at birth in 2015 was 69 years; for females, it was 74 years.
• Women on a worldwide basis live 5 years longer than men.
• Over 95% of work place fatalities are men.
• 99% of combat deaths are men.

Suicide rate is worse for men than women and averaged out, the rate of suicide for men is up to three times that of women. In western nations and some third world countries, men and boys are dropping behind in school and university.