The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has fulfilled her promise to reward the champions of the 2025 Lagos Boy Child Initiative (LBCI) Cooking Competition with professional training opportunities, shopping vouchers, and a fine dining experience.
The winners were recently hosted to a celebratory luncheon at the Red Restaurant, Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, where Dr. Sanwo-Olu commended them for their outstanding performance and reaffirmed her commitment to creating platforms that empower boys in Lagos.
She explained that the initiative, launched in October 2021, was designed to protect, nurture, and equip the boy child with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive.
“The Lagos Boy Child Initiative was conceived to provide balance in advocacy. While commendable efforts have been directed toward the girl child, equal attention must also be given to the boy child to ensure they become responsible leaders, professionals, and citizens,” she said.
Dr. Sanwo-Olu further noted that the cooking competition had helped dispel gender stereotypes, proving that the kitchen is not the exclusive domain of females.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Ali-Balogun, praised the First Lady for consistently championing the welfare of boys.
He said the competition was particularly commendable for reinforcing the value of practical life skills alongside formal education.
Similarly, Mrs. Scholarstica Adeniyi-Abass, Chairman of the LBCI, described the cooking contest as a flagship programme that challenges stereotypes and opens new doors of opportunity for boys across the state.
The event’s highlight was the presentation of shopping vouchers worth ₦100,000, ₦80,000, and ₦50,000 to winners from the Ikeja, Lagos, Badagry, and Epe divisions.
In addition, the team leaders will participate in a three-week, fully sponsored continental culinary course, organised in collaboration with the Dipo Jaji Foundation and Red Dish Chronicles Culinary School.
The students also enjoyed an educational tour of Eko Hotels, with behind-the-scenes visits to its world-class kitchens, further enriching their exposure to the hospitality industry.
