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UI VC Calls for Healthier Masculinity, Says Men Should Not Suffer in Silence

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode O. Adebowale, mni, FAS, fspsp, has said that the world does not need another angry, silent man, but men who can heal, build, and love openly.

He stated this while speaking at a programme organised by the University of Ibadan Gender Mainstreaming Office in collaboration with the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) for male students of the university.

Professor Adebowale noted that for many years, gender discussions in Africa have largely centred on empowering women and girls, while the challenges facing boys and the rigid expectations of traditional masculinity are often neglected.

He added that the programme’s theme, “From Boyhood to the Man: Imagining Masculinity in the 21st Century Africa,” goes beyond an academic exercise and represents a necessary intervention.

The Vice-Chancellor said the definition of manhood has often encouraged emotional suppression, aggression, and unrealistic expectations of strength, criticising the belief that “men don’t cry.”

He explained that society teaches boys that vulnerability is weakness, conditioning them to see themselves only as providers and protectors rather than nurturers or individuals deserving of care.

According to him, the result is a generation of men struggling in silence, reflected in the alarming rates of male suicide across the continent, a statistic he noted is rarely discussed.

He added that this reality is also evident in violence against women and children, men’s reluctance to seek mental health support, premature deaths from stress-related illnesses, and the emotional distance that fractures families, which he described as a failure of masculine imagination.

Professor Adebowale restated that the partnership between the University of Ibadan Gender Mainstreaming Office and the Policy Innovation Centre is critical, noting that the programme was not designed to vilify men, but to liberate them.

He added that the initiative provides an opportunity to reimagine a masculinity that is not afraid of empathy, that embraces collaboration over domination, and that defines strength as the courage to be whole, emotionally intelligent, respectful, and peaceful.

The Vice-Chancellor also reaffirmed the university’s commitment to gender mainstreaming not as a zero-sum game, but as a holistic human development strategy. He assured participants that the management would continue to support policies and programmes that create safe spaces for boys to become men of integrity, not merely men of “iron.”

In her welcome address, the Director of the Gender Mainstreaming Office, Professor Funmilola Ajani, commended the efforts of her predecessor, Professor Francisca Ukpokolo, who conceived the workshop before leaving office.

Professor Ajani described the conversation as both timely and necessary, noting that across Africa, ideas about masculinity are evolving amid social changes, economic realities, and growing calls for equality, responsibility, and emotional awareness.

She observed that many young men continue to navigate these expectations without clear guidance, often caught between traditional norms and modern realities. She therefore stressed the importance of the workshop as a platform for honest reflection and dialogue.

The Director explained that the conversation is not about rejecting culture or identity, but about re-examining them by asking what values should be retained, what behaviours should be reshaped, and what kind of men boys aspire to become in a rapidly changing Africa.

She added that the programme represents both a starting point and a commitment to redefining masculinity in ways that promote dignity, respect, and positive impact within families, communities, and society at large.

Two keynote addresses were delivered at the workshop by Ifeoma L. Idigbe, Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of the Boys to Men Foundation, and Dare Olagoke-Adaramoye, a psychologist, gender specialist, and prominent advocate for healthy masculinities.

The workshop also featured breakout sessions where participants discussed real-life issues including mental health, finances, relationships, career resilience, and other related concerns. Awards were also presented to winners of the pre-workshop assignment.



Source: UI Directorate of Public Communication