LAGOS — A 69-year-old Nigerian adventurer, Ibi Sofekun, yesterday said he rode a motorbike across 40 countries in 99 days to draw global attention to the mental health of the boy child.
Speaking at a reception held in his honour in Lagos, Sofekun explained that his motivation for the transcontinental journey stemmed from the world’s lack of focus on the boy child, whose emotional struggles are often overlooked. Sofekun, a seasoned biker whose adventure took him across two continents, said the trip also offered him the opportunity to project Nigeria positively on the global stage, demonstrating that Nigerians can achieve greatness at home without necessarily relocating abroad. He urged authorities, parents, educators and other agents of socialisation to prioritise the mental well-being of the boy child, stressing that neglect in that area could have far-reaching societal consequences. His words:“It is not just an adventure because I feel like riding. My theme is called Project Help. We need to start paying attention to the mental health of the boy child. It is believed that the boy child is strong and secure, but he has his pains too. He cries and moves on. But if he doesn’t get the opportunity to cry and heal, he can’t have an active future. “If we look at some of the problems of the world, they emanate from the actions of boys who have become men with the wrong perceptions. They grow into easy targets for radicalisation. Look at hate crimes, terrorism, cultism, and violence against women , a young boy raised with a solid mind will not suddenly deviate into these things. He will believe in hard work, not shortcuts or violence.” Sofekun’s journey, which spanned Europe and Africa, forms part of his campaign tagged Project Help. It is a personal initiative aimed at sparking conversations around mental health, responsibility, and emotional resilience among young boys.
