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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Traditional rulers have called for equal treatment and opportunities for boys and girls, urging traditional institutions and families to dismantle cultural practices that discriminate against women and girls.
They made the call at the 2026 Fathers4Equality Recognition Awards and Traditional Leaders Conference organised by the Male Feminist Network, an initiative of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), in Abuja.
Held under the theme, “Redefining Fatherhood for Equality and Justice,” the conference brought together traditional rulers and other stakeholders to examine the role of fathers and traditional institutions in promoting gender equality and social justice.
Among the traditional rulers at the event were Ochi Idoma, Agaba-Idu Elaigwu Odogbo John; Mai of Machina and 77th Emir of Machina, Bashir Albishir Bukar; and Paramount Ruler of Rumuevuorlu Community in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Chris Akani.
Speaking at the conference, Bukar described the theme as timely and expressed concern over discrimination and brutal treatment suffered by women in some societies.
He urged participants to take the lessons from the conference back to their communities and translate them into action, stressing that the success of the initiative would ultimately be measured by changes achieved at the grassroots.
Bukar said all human beings were created equal and should enjoy equal rights irrespective of religious or other differences.
“We should, as fathers, play the role of equality between both sexes,” he said.
The traditional ruler called for equal educational opportunities for boys and girls, urging parents not to deny their daughters opportunities available to their sons.
He also challenged traditional rulers to serve as role models, saying their conduct and decisions could influence attitudes towards women and girls in their communities.
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In his goodwill message, Akani commended the organisers for recognising traditional rulers for their contributions to gender equality and justice.
He recalled that even before becoming a traditional ruler, he had promoted girl-child education in opposition to cultural expectations that placed marriage ahead of formal education for women.
“My resolve was strengthened by my mother’s experience after she was withdrawn from school,” he said.
Akani said the experience influenced his decision to ensure that his children, including his two daughters, received equal encouragement to pursue higher education.
“I have encouraged my daughters to pursue doctoral degrees in commemoration of my mother.
“My daughters are currently PhD students working towards defending their thesis in fields including statistics, French and African literature,” he said.
Akani said he had similarly encouraged parents in his community to prioritise education for both boys and girls and warned against limiting employment opportunities available to women because of their gender.
“My slogan in my community is: make sure you are well educated. Don’t look for a substandard job for girls,” he said.
He urged traditional rulers to use their positions to promote positive values and ensure equal opportunities for children irrespective of gender.
Executive Director of Centre LSD, Otive Igbuzor, said the programme was designed to advance equality between the genders.
The conference also featured a keynote address by the royal father of the day, Agaba-Idu Elaigwu, titled “The Role of Traditional Institutions in Transforming Harmful Gender and Cultural Norms.”
