YOUNG boys have been urged to build healthy relationships and positive identities offline and online, armed with the knowledge that life is driven by reality while reels and mediated realism drive the internet.
The Centre for Applied Ethics and Political Communications in Africa (CAEPO-COM) Africa and its resource persons made this known on Tuesday in Ibadan during the fifth edition of the annual Ibadan Boys’ Summit (IBS) with the theme ‘Digital identity vs. real identity: Owning your narrative’.
The summit, for boys aged 9-17 years, is a project under CAEPOCOM Africa called Rebuilding Healthy Masculinities for Sustainable Co-existence.
The Coordinator of CAEPO-COM Africa, Mrs Oyebanke Oyelaja-Kayode, described the summit as more than a gathering for boys; it is now curated for young men to learn and grow into better citizens in society.
Oyelaja-Kayode stated that the summit is organised in a way that would enable boys who have outgrown the age limit of the summit to continue with the organisation through its HIMPACT programme for men aged 18-40 years.
The Nigerian Country Director of the World Robotic Forum, Feyi ljimakinwa, who delivered the keynote speech titled ‘The matrix vs. reality’, stated that what is in the internet, especially on social media, is reel or mediated reality, not reality; therefore, advising young people to wisely use digital spaces, not digital spaces using them.
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ljimakinwa further advised that before using the internet and social media platforms, young people should ask the following questions: Who created the content, who is it meant for, what am I supposed to get from it, how will it help me, and when will I know how to leave the page or internet?
Mr Sam Adebiyi, who anchored the IBS workshop, titled ‘Who are you offline’, stressed that the real person is the person offline, not the version of that person online. He added that the dangers associated with online engagement, especially for young people, are fake life, fake confidence, and unnecessary comparison that can lead to depression and bad associations.
Adebiyi extensively spoke about the things that young people can do to maintain healthy online usage, which include developing sound character, discipline, treating people nicely, having courage and purpose, and having have a good relationship with God.
On this note, Adebiyi urged the boys to make their offline lives 70 per cent, and their online lives 30 per cent, adding, “You are responsible for what you do. Therefore, know and control what you do online.”
The panel session titled ‘Who holds the controller?’ was moderated by Marvellous Ogunobo, with Jesufemi Adesiyan, Toesae Barry, Donald Dennis, and Inyene Etuk as panellists.
The panel extensively discussed how digital and social influence impact masculinity. They opined that the inability to take charge of one’s life and take responsibility for the things they do offline and online will limit the control they have over their lives.
A session on HIMPACT Hangout, anchored by Marvellous Ogunobo, dealt with how to build stronger men who will shape stronger communities by promoting healthy masculinity. The HIMPACT project is executed through two channels: HIMPACT Space, done monthly online; and HIMPACT Radio, done weekly on the radio.
In the course of the event, the boys were taught eating etiquette by Marvellous Ogunobo, and Dr Sam Adejube anchored the games talent showcase sessions. During the mentorship session, the boys were grouped into sports, arts, content creation, and academic categories, and had resource persons mentor them in those categories.
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