Boys need men like ones I grew up with

POSITIVE male role models are not a luxury for boys — they are a necessity. The statistics prove it. Studies consistently show that boys who grow up without a father in the home are far more likely to struggle. In the UK, almost half of young men in custody come from fatherless households. In the US, 85% of youth in prison grew up without a dad.

- JJ Anisiobi

The link between absent fathers and crime is clear - without strong male guidance, boys often go looking for it in the wrong places. I was blessed to have my father, Godwin Anisiobi, at home. He taught me how to be a man, how to carry myself, and what it meant to be a gentleman.

He was firm, but fair. He showed me masculinity, when channelled properly, is not toxic — it’s protective, constructive and essential.