… GADA-Ford Foundation Initiative Spotlights the Role of the Church and Family in Reforming Harmful Social Norms
CALABAR– Faith leaders, youth representatives, gender advocates, and community stakeholders gathered in Calabar on Tuesday for a one-day summit organized by the Gender and Development Action (GADA), with support from the Ford Foundation, to address rising concerns around gender-based violence (GBV) by fostering male responsibility within the church and family NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
Held at the Venetian Hall on Murtala Mohammed Highway, the summit themed “Male Responsibility for Transformation of Harmful Social Norms that Perpetuate Gender-Based Violence” brought together religious leaders, youth groups, and women leaders to explore how the church and family can nurture boys to become non-violent, empathetic men.
Reverend James Igwiro, Coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Calabar Municipality, speaking on behalf of the state chair of CAN, Richard Eyamba, emphasized that true transformation starts at home. “The male child must be groomed with the fear of God,” he said. “If a male child must be a man and play his role in the actual sense, then that child must be well equipped. When a male child is well groomed, the issue of violence will go away.”
He warned against shifting parental responsibilities to religious institutions. >“The first and very important part of the training is the family. When the family loses it, don’t transfer it to the church. The pastor is not a magician,” he said.
Apostle Frank Umo, Special Adviser on Religious Matters to the Cross River State Governor, echoed the call for structured biblical teaching on male conduct. “Eighty percent of the crimes in our society—rape, robbery, Yahoo Yahoo—are championed by male youths,” he said. “The male child we train today is the armed robber we take out of the streets tomorrow.”
Apostle Umo encouraged pastors to develop dedicated programs for boys across all age groups in their churches. “We must teach our children obedience, cleanliness, and the value of work,” he added. “Let them know that to be a man, you don’t need to abuse or dominate anyone.”
CAN State Youth Leader, Pastor Obia Ikita, challenged male privilege and the cultural silence surrounding men’s emotional burdens. “We are here to preach against victimization of mostly the women—and also the male child,” he said. “We grew up not being taught how to relate. We were told boys shouldn’t go to the kitchen. That’s wrong. We must reset that thinking.”
Pastor Ikita added, “There is no male spirit or female spirit. We are all one in Christ. The change must begin with fathers who create time to speak truthfully to their sons—not just discipline, but relationship.”
For Nkoyo Toyo, Founder of GADA and a leading voice in the Nigerian women’s rights movement, the event represents a pivot in gender advocacy. “The most endangered of us all are the men,” she said. “When young men are unable to meet life’s expectations due to joblessness and poor support systems, they carry pain into their relationships. We want to unburden that pain, and help them transform it.”
She explained that churches were specifically targeted for the intervention because of their structure and reach. “The church is a very organized institution. They have youth and women groups. We’re catalyzing them to go back and rework harmful gender norms,” she said.
Participants were shown a documentary titled Toxic Male Behaviour and took part in plenary discussions, experience-sharing panels, and breakout sessions. The forum concluded with a call to action, urging churches to adopt curricula that promote responsible masculinity and empathy, and to engage boys in discussions around consent, respect, and domestic roles.
As part of next steps, churches across Calabar and beyond are expected to organize community-based discussions, integrate GBV teachings into Sunday School lessons, and initiate safe spaces for male youths to speak freely.
>“We want men to start crying,” Toyo remarked pointedly. “Because when they cry, we can finally hear them—and heal together.”
