The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has called for a shift in societal attitudes towards domestic responsibilities, saying teaching boys how to cook builds responsibility, confidence and self-reliance rather than diminishing their masculinity.
Speaking at the prize-giving ceremony of the 2026 Lagos Boy Child Initiative Cooking Competition held at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Dr. Sanwo-Olu said the programme was designed to prepare boys for life by exposing them to practical skills that could also become profitable careers.
“Caring for the home should never be viewed as the exclusive responsibility of women,” she said. “When our boys learn to cook, they are not becoming less masculine; they are becoming more responsible, more compassionate and better prepared for life.”
She noted that the initiative supports Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ Agenda by equipping young people with practical skills beyond the classroom.
READ: Africa: Lagos First Lady Partners Akwaaba to Expand Boy Child Initiative Across Africa
District II emerged overall winner with 47 points, with each of its 10 members receiving shopping vouchers worth N100,000. District IV came second, while District VI finished third.
In addition to the prizes, leaders of the three winning teams were awarded fully sponsored three-week Continental Culinary Arts training at Red Dish Chronicles Culinary School in Lagos, valued at N2.475 million, including accommodation and feeding.
The participants also underwent leadership training, etiquette, mental health awareness, vocational skills development, drug abuse prevention and career exposure visits to military and security institutions.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu urged parents to continue supporting their sons’ aspirations, stressing that today’s rewards should serve as motivation for greater achievements.
