The first runner-up of Miss Benikrukru Carnival Queen (MBCQ) 2025/2026 Culture and Tourism, Favour Irawo, in collaboration with Her Smile Initiative, has taken the 'Save The Boy Child To Save The Girl Child' campaign to Benikrukru Community in the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, drawing attention to how the neglect of proper upbringing of the boy child possess a risk to the girl child.

Among personalities in attendance at the programme that held in Benikrukru Secondary School on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, include the Chief Executive Officer of Her Smile Initiative, Hon. (Mrs.) Ebi Adam Tonjoh; the CEO of gfm_yummies, Princess Irawo; the Assistant Head Teacher of Benikrukru Secondary School, Mrs. Gladys Gbenekama, among other teachers.

According to the Culture and Tourism Queen, during her address to the students noted that, “Every boy child has the opportunity, the support, the guidance and education to become somebody that is responsible and great in society,” but urged them to not limit themselves to only academic learning while emphasizing the need for the acquisition of new practical skills so that they can contribute positively to community development.

On her part, the guests speaker, Hon. Tonjoh, during her engagement with the students explained the meaning behind the concept of 'Save The Boy Child To Save The Girl Child' and urged the boys to be guided by the characteristics of respect, responsibility (accountability), integrity, self-discipline, and empathy, in order to save the girl child.

"If you are saving the boy to save the girl, it's not because the girl is in danger, it's because we want this boy to do well so that the girl also will do well," she explained to her audience.

"Now, if this boy is respectful, you know that this girl will also be respectful. Now, let me break it down. We want to save the boys so that the boys will not be bad boys on the streets that become thieves, armed robbers, rapists... So that when they grow up, they know what to do, the right things to do, the right things to say to their sisters," she added.

Speaking further, she noted that "There is so much danger outside. The people that are becoming terrorists, are they not boys? The kidnappers, I'm sure we hear them now. Today, some of us (we are on social media) see these things. So, because of the dangers that are coming up every day, and because of how much the lives of boys are not guided, it's affecting the girls. And so we are putting all the effort on building good girls.

"When you come to this class, don't you know the good girls? Is it not the bad boys that will spoil the good girls? So, now we want to tell the bad boys to become good boys," she exclaimed.

The programme which created room for interactions with the students was also marked with the presentation of gift packs to studnts, courtesy of MBCQ for Culture and Tourism.

Mrs. Gladys Gbenekama, the Assistant Head Teacher of the school, speaking on behalf of the Head Teacher, conveyed her appreciation to the sponsors of the initiative, and lauded Hon. Tonjoh and other participants for their expositions which she said will go a long way to help guide the students.

"I'm so happy, overwhelmed for this initiative of our Miss Benikrukru and her entourage. In fact, the scene today is exquisite. I want to thank her and everybody that came with her. This has taught my children here to learn and to know how to prevent measures of things they should do and not do. So my heart is full of joy," she stated.

Meanwhile, Miss Irawo thanked her sponsors—the EMT Foundation and the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL)—for making the campaign initiative a reality. The winner of 2025/2026 MBCQ called for support from other stakeholders to support projects that are aimed at creating awareness and protecting the boy and the girl child, especially from sexual abuse.

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