Honestly, I believe being a man is much deeper than just having a dick and balls. For me, one of the things that truly makes me feel like a man is the fact that I can speak my mind and stand up for what I believe is right — no matter who it’s against or what the situation is.
There was this particular experience I had recently in school that really brought this part of me to light. I’m in the Agric department, and before we came home, we were working at a poultry farm. As a way of showing appreciation for our efforts, the farm owner gave us three male chickens and some yam so we could make chicken and chips for the whole class. We were 13 in total — 10 guys and 3 girls — and it was supposed to be a shared moment, something to bring us together.
We were told to handle everything ourselves — from slaughtering the birds to preparing the food. That’s when I already sensed that something might go wrong. We split into groups and shared the tasks to make things faster and more organized. But not long after the chickens were slaughtered, some of the guys started grouping themselves and hoarding the best parts of the meat. It wasn’t even subtle — they were clearly hiding portions for themselves. That really pissed me off because it wasn’t just greedy. It was selfish and unfair. We all worked, and it was meant to be shared among everyone.
What made it worse was that one of the guys involved was someone I considered a friend. I didn’t hold back — I confronted them right there and told them what they were doing doesn’t make any sense. I said everything I needed to say, even though I knew it would create tension. After that situation, me and my friend didn’t talk for a long time, but honestly, I wasn’t going to pretend everything was okay just to maintain the friendship. That’s not who I am. I’m not the type to sugarcoat things just to avoid problems. If I feel something is wrong, I’ll say it, and I’ll say it straight. Some people hate that because they prefer to be surrounded by people who tell them what they want to hear, even when they’re wrong. But I can’t fake it. I’d rather stand alone in truth than stay quiet in the face of nonsense.
Another thing that I believe makes me a man is being able to take responsibility for my actions. I’m not perfect. I know I can mess up sometimes, but what matters is being able to reflect and make things right when I’m wrong. For example, during a recent presentation, my group members came to me to do my part — I was supposed to handle the images for the PowerPoint. But I was in a bad mood, and I told one of them to leave me alone. He got angry and even threatened to report me for not contributing. Out of pride, I told him I didn’t care.
But later, when I calmed down and thought about it, I realized I had acted wrongly. I went back to apologize to both him and another girl in the group. Eventually, he told me not to worry and agreed to do most of the work by himself. All I did was pay for the printing — which wasn’t even up to ₦1,000. But then that situation taught me that admitting you're wrong doesn’t make you weak — it makes you responsible.
At the end of the day, I feel like being a man is about how you carry yourself, how you treat others, and how you stand by your values — not just your gender. It’s about honesty, accountability, and having the courage to be real, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Thanks for reading.