The meeting, scheduled to be held on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, will be hosted by the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III, at his palace.
It is set to convene men-only custodians of our culture who are traditional rulers, faith leaders, policymakers, community chairmen, corporate leaders and other male stakeholders in a crucial dialogue on male accountability, family cohesion and collective protection of women and girls.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Women Radio 91.7FM, Toun Okewale Sonaiya, underscores the urgency of the meeting, saying, “We cannot achieve peaceful and safe communities by speaking only to women. Men as fathers, brothers, sons, leaders and partners must be active participants in this movement. True protection is not controlled. It is respect and advocacy with shared responsibility in shifting mindsets, strengthening families, and building communities where women and girls are safe and valued, and men are duly respected.
“We know that men listen to men, and boys are influenced by male elders in their community. We grateful to the Alake for leading this conversation,” she said.
According to the organisers, the meeting will address pressing questions, including mobilising men as advocates and not adversaries, leveraging cultural and traditional frameworks to reinforce positive masculinity and institutionalising community systems to protect women and girls from violence and discrimination.
Meanwhile, through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and policy roundtables, the event will explore actionable strategies, including engaging boys in early education to protect girls, healthy relationships, and strengthening community-based protection systems through traditional institutions and corporate and governmental policies that incentivise male allyship in workplaces and homes.
The meeting marks the beginning of a sustained movement to engage custodians of our culture as partners in moving Nigeria closer to a place where women and girls move freely without fear, where families thrive on mutual respect, and where communities unite in safeguarding the rights and dignity of all.
