A senior lecturer in the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Amanim Akpabio has advocated the creation of Ministry of Men Development in the country to train most men how to be responsible to their families and the society.
In an interview with Straightnews reporter at the Nigerian Bar Association secretariat, Uyo Branch on Wednesday, Akpabio observed that United Nations advocated the establishment of Ministry of Women Affairs more than 60 years ago and its existence has helped a lot in the development of women.
Akpabio who is a lecturer in the Department of Law reasoned that as the heads of the families, men need to be trained from childhood to adulthood days until death on how to act, live and behave responsibly with their wives and partners.
Speaking on the violence perpetrated by some men against women, the lawyer attributed this to lack of proper training for most men, noting that the ministry would be able to mount seminars and organize workshops to adequately but properly train them against gender-based violence.
Akpabio said the ministry will train most men on how to settle family matters and how to will their property between the male and female children to avoid unnecessary squabble and unhealthy rivalry among them.
The author said ‘‘I want to advocate the establishment of Ministry of Men Development in the country. We have been having a lot of developments in the area of women. From 1946, United Nations founded in 1945 started the advocacy in the area of developing women.
‘‘Unfortunately, we have lost the art of developing the men. They are blaming men for being irresponsible. So, a specialised engagement with men training them when they are boys: how to be men, how to think like men, and how to take charge. From creation, power was given to man how to give direction.
‘‘Man cannot give direction without proper training. So, the main target is to raise men to be models and to have elders in the land being part of the training: from childhood, adulthood until the time they die as responsible men leaving will and settling their families.’’
On how to go about the establishment of the ministry, he opined that a bill for the establishment of the ministry should be sent to Legislature as a legislation. Let us start at the state level because each state is responsible for the creation of ministries they need to work.
‘‘I will say that Akwa Ibom should be a pacesetter not because I am from Akwa Ibom but because the idea came from here. We now start here and have a template for other states to emulate. If there is no right template, the exercise is going to be politicized.’’
