Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu says culinary skills prepare boys for self-reliance and opportunities in Nigeria’s growing hospitality industry.
The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has urged parents and schools to encourage boys to learn cooking, saying the skill is essential for raising responsible, self-reliant men and preparing them for careers in Nigeria’s expanding hospitality industry.
She spoke on Monday at the 2026 Lagos Boy Child Initiative Cooking Competition Prize-Giving Ceremony held at the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu said the initiative reflects a deliberate shift from conventional classroom learning to practical life skills that equip boys for the realities of a competitive world.
According to her, the programme is designed to show that cooking is not limited by gender but is a valuable life skill capable of creating employment, entrepreneurship and global career opportunities. She added that the initiative also promotes responsibility, creativity, compassion and independence among young boys.
The competition, which concluded the 2026 Lagos Boy Child Initiative Residential Camp, featured participants aged 13 to 17 drawn from public and private schools, military and faith-based institutions, orphanages and correctional facilities across Lagos.
The First Lady explained that the competition was introduced to challenge stereotypes that portray cooking as the exclusive responsibility of women while preparing boys for situations such as studying abroad, living independently or supporting families where both spouses work.
She said the programme aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ agenda by equipping young people with practical skills needed for the future, noting that Lagos’ growing tourism and hospitality sector would require well-trained professionals in catering, hotels, restaurants and event management.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that teaching boys to cook should not be seen as diminishing masculinity but as helping them become responsible adults capable of contributing meaningfully to their families and society. She also explained that the shopping vouchers presented to winners were intended to teach budgeting, financial planning and responsible leadership.
District II emerged overall winner with 47 points, while District IV and District VI finished second and third, respectively. Members of the winning teams received shopping vouchers, while team leaders earned fully sponsored three-week Continental Culinary Arts courses at the Red Dish Chronicles Culinary School in Lagos.
The First Lady also announced that the winners would represent the Lagos Boy Child Initiative at the Akwaaba African Travel Market Jollof Cooking Competition scheduled for September 13.
Beyond the cooking contest, participants received training in leadership, etiquette, resilience, vocational skills, mental health awareness, drug abuse prevention and sexual and gender-based violence. They also visited military and security formations to expose them to career opportunities in Nigeria’s security services.