MEN TOLD TO RIGHT THE WRONGS AROUND THEM...as Kingdom Men Berths in Rivers, Bayelsa States

A gathering of men at Kingdom Men Global Network’s Inaugural Men’s Breakfast Roundtable in Port Harcourt over the weekend, unanimously agreed that God’s mandate is for the man to make right anything going wrong around him - whether in the home, at the work place or in the larger society.

Rubbing minds on the event theme, ‘Fix the Men Fix Nigeria’, the men   expressed deep concern about poor political leadership in and outside the state, the challenges of youth restiveness and economic and social decline and concluded that deploying the tools of Iron Sharpens Iron and other programmes of Kingdom Men nationally will help fix the men who will in turn fix the nation.

Organised in pursuit of the ministry’s national and global vision, to help raise and disciple Christ-like men for leadership in diverse areas of life, the events marked the inauguration of Kingdom Men in the Niger Delta region.

The inauguration activities were held on Friday November 18 and Saturday November 19, 2017 at the Hub Event Centre and it attracted a good number of men and youths from Port Harcourt and neighbouring Bayelsa state.

Public awareness of the programmes were made weeks before the event and sensitisation was sustained when the Chief Vision Steward, Reverend Remi Akano and a member of the ministry’s Board of Trustees, Reverend Professor Phillip Okerentugba went on air at one of the city’s leading radio stations, Love FM, inviting men to the programme. 

At the end of the Friday evening programme, a record eight Iron Sharpens Iron (ISI) study groups were established in Port Harcourt and one in Bayelsa state as pioneers of the small group study, discipleship, prayer and accountability programme of Kingdom Men.

The Saturday MBR inauguration in Port Harcourt was unique in many ways. It provided a platform to formally launch the International Men’s Day (IMD) in Nigeria for the first time and this was anchored between Apostle Frank Aikins, President of Kingdom Covenant Ministry International, KMEN’s Chief Vision Steward and the ministry’s member of BoT. This year’s theme for IMD is: Celebrate Men and Boys.

Speakers at the MBR, Reverend Remi Akano and Reverend Professor Phillip Okerentugba, addressed the theme, Fix the Men, Fix Nigeria.  

In his closing remarks, Captain Samuel Olarewaju expressed satisfaction over the response of men in Port Harcourt in embracing the Project ISI and attendance to the Men’s Breakfast Roundtable. He urged that in the days ahead, their lives should exemplify those virtues that Jesus Christ represents.

Among those who graced the IMD/MBR Saturday programme included Church leaders, a member of the Rivers State Executive Council, and coordinators of men’s fellowship from some churches, youths and politicians. 

CHURCHES URGED TO PRAY FOR MEN AND BOYS ON SUNDAY …as Nigeria joins the world to mark International Men’s Day

Remi Akano
Chief Vision Steward
Kingdom Men

Kingdom Men Global Network in association with several other ministries and men’s groups has called on all churches to pray for men and boys on Sunday, November 19 to commemorate the 2017 International Men’s Day (IMD) on the theme Celebrate Men and Boys. Nigerians are also encouraged to add a touch of blue to their attires that weekend in honour of men.

A media release signed by Kingdom Men’s Steward for media Strategy and Outreaches, Dennis Onwuegbu, the ministry said it was collaborating with others to observe the special day for men, to bring Nigeria into the fold of countries recognising and honouring their men. There are over 60 countries of the world where International Men’s Day has been celebrated annually.

Kingdom Men and its collaborators, the release explains, is pioneering this maiden effort prior to building a broader coalition of men to ensure that Nigeria will henceforth join the rest of the world in the annual programme.

Excerpt from the Media Release:

As a part of the celebration of that day, which happens to be on a Sunday this year, churches are being called upon to set apart a few minutes during their services for special prayers for men and boys. The focus of the Prayer is that Nigerian men and boys shall grow in Christlikeness. Nigerians are also encouraged to have a touch of blue in their dresses that day in honour of men for the sacrifices they make as sons and brothers, husbands and fathers and as heads at home and leaders in communities.  

In Port Harcourt, where KINGDOM MEN is holding the Inaugural edition of its forum for the discussion of men issues, Men’s Breakfast Roundtable (MBR) on Saturday, November 18, the International Men’s Day will be a major highlight with goodwill messages from many men of God. The two-in-one event is scheduled for The Hub Event Centre, 187, Peter Odili Road, Trans Amadi Layout at 9:00am

Speaking on the essence of the Day, Kingdom Men’s Chief Vision Steward, Pastor Remi Akano said “it will help to sensitise the public, governments at all levels and the Faith groups on the need to pay closer attention to men and boys issues especially as the country grapples with socio-economic, political and moral adjustments.”

He declared: “A little more attention to the peculiar needs of men will contribute substantially to reducing many of our socio-political challenges; not because they are the direct cause, but because they have vicarious liabilities as heads of the most import single social unit, the family.”

Deji Irawo
President
Men Alive Network

Also speaking on the importance of the Day, Mr Deji Irawo, A men’s resource technocrat, who runs Men Alive Network, MAN, emphasised the need to pay more attention on the challenges that being a man or boy portend.  

According to him, “while the world seem to have done fairly well in devoting immense time and resources to tackling women and girls issues, not much seem to have been done in dealing with men and boys issues. The perception that the male has it all in wrap is now being debunked when we consider the many challenges that the society and family face due to neglect of the man.”

In his own remark, Paul Osayande a pastor and gender equity campaigner, said

Paul Osayande
Founder
P & H Cre8

“this year’s International Men’s Day provides us an opportunity to evaluate how well we have done with the men and boys issues, engage the critical stakeholders especially governments and the family to pay more attention to the men in our society, and more than that, for the women to appreciate the men in their lives as a way of reducing the rising cases of mental cases among men”.

It is noteworthy that the International Men's Day (IMD) was borne out of the need to focus on men’s and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. In most countries, the event offers an opportunity for men to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care while highlighting the usually under-reported discrimination against men.

Dennis Onwuegbu
Steward, Media, Strategy
& Outreaches

Founded in 1998 in Trinidad and Tobago, International Men’s Day (IMD) has become a rallying point for support for men and boys from individuals and social groups across the globe.

Typically, commemorating International Men's Day have taken the form of public seminars, conferences, festivals and fundraisers, classroom activities at schools, radio and television programmes, among others.

Men Issues

Across the world, statistics indicate that men’s health is worse than women’s.

• Recent World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that, while male life expectancy at birth in 2015 was 69 years; for females, it was 74 years.
• Women on a worldwide basis live 5 years longer than men.
• Over 95% of work place fatalities are men.
• 99% of combat deaths are men.
• Suicide rate is worse for men than women and averaged out, the rate of suicide for men is up to three times that of women. 
• In western nations and some third world countries, men and boys are dropping behind in school and university.