To the boy child.

The day you were born,

You unknowingly became a man,

No one sees you as a child,

But as a warrior, defender, provider and prayer warrior,

You were yet to speak,

But have learnt a thousand words,

You were yet to walk,

But have known the way to the gates, protecting everyone.

Strength came factory fitted that you dare not look weak.

In pains,

You are told to man up, even as a child,

You are yet to learn how to swallow tiny balls of eba, fufu or semo,

But you swallowed your pain, which gives you no right to cry.

Today,

You are reminded to be more of a man,

You are reminded to protect the ones around you,

You are reminded to guard the female child from vultures,

Who are the vultures?

That's a boy child too,

A boy child who have lost his ways,

Who needs redirection of purpose,

Who needs to understand things more better,

But alas,

We left them at the mercy of,

Man up, you are a man.

But no one remembers that being vulnerable doesn't have Gender,

No,

It doesn't wear skirts nor trouser .

Boys make mistakes,

Don't crucify them,

Teach them to be better,

Teach them better values,

Teach them what love means,

What they understand about love is outdated,

Upgrade their knowledge,

Show them better.

They can be better.

I have seen better men,

I'm one of them.

So Teach us, don't crucify us.

Emmanuel Bountiful.