As the society continues to shift and women are increasingly taking on additional prominent and more impactful roles, young men have been challenged to rise to the occasion by reassessing their roles and managing the transitioning with wisdom.
John Obaro, Managing Director of foremost African technology firm, SystemSpecs, made this declaration at the Boys to Men Foundation inaugural conference recently held online. He added that in today’s world, individual and collective successes are factors of intellectual ability, instead of gender stereotypes or even physical strength.
The Boys to Men Foundation initiative aims at formulating a policy of action to developing young men into responsible, ethical-thinking adults with integrity in different aspects of life.
Obaro said: “The modern man is one who is aware of the world he is in and is not threatened by the power or success of a woman but is ever ready to accept the change and open to new possibilities.”
Today, the traditional role of providing for the family or attaining and occupying certain career heights have evolved beyond traditions. Hence, the more women that are economically empowered, the more tussle for change, power and acceptance in ‘odd fields’.
Obaro stated that technology is changing the dynamics of culture and the society in both positive and negative ways. “Easy and affordable access to information is for good and at the same time could pose new challenges that we have to deal with. We should rather harness its positive benefits to deepen knowledge and exposure and encourage both genders to break stereotypes,” he added.
He further said that men should create enabling systems to de-emphasise gender-based biases, be a model for males and inspire both males and females around them to be good role models to other females.
Keynote Speaker and Chairman of Access Bank Group, Aig Imoukhuede, noted that we must first be human to be a good man or woman.
“God has given mankind – not just the male specie – dominion over the earth because of their superior intellect, which is a serious responsibility. Men need to see beyond the norms to enable a gender inclusive society,” he said.