Men are navigating one of the most challenging eras of modern adulthood. From mental-health pressures to shrinking career mobility, the world is shifting fast, and young men risk being left behind.
At the International Men’s Day “Triple G – Groom, Grow, Grind” event, industry leaders called for an urgent reset: intentional grooming, structured growth, and relentless grinding to build purpose-driven men ready for the future.
Men Rising - Groom, Grow, Grind Forward
Across continents, public debate on gender equity and wellbeing rightly amplifies women’s voices. Yet, an undercurrent runs deep, one where men quietly wrestle with expectations, mounting pressures, and the gap between promise and performance. This year, International Men’s Day in Lagos became the crucible for candid dialogue, propelled by the rallying theme: Triple G — Groom, Grow, Grind, put together by Mahogany Production.
Under Sola “Mr Mahogany” Oyebade’s guidance, the event set a refreshingly honest tone. “Our schedules overflow; we’re hustling each day,” Oyebade admitted, stripping away pretence to reveal challenges men rarely name. His call, “words without action are a distraction”, echoed through the room, urging participants to convert introspection into real change.
In this special feature, Sustainable Stories Africa, in appreciating men unpacks Triple G’s layered resonance, tracing how global trends and lived realities converge.
From nurturing mental resilience to expanding capacity, to relentless perseverance, the Triple G ethos is urgent and generational. Statistics and personal stories interlace here, illuminating why grooming the mind, growing skills, and grinding through adversity have become essential practices, not just ideals — for men navigating the modern world.
The event witnessed a stellar lineup of men who have impacted in many ways through their careers, and whose perspectives shaped the dialogue: Ayo Akinola – Co-Founder Piggyvest/CEO PocketApp, Ayowole Ilelaboye – Labfit, Deyemi Okonlawon – Nigerian actor, Ekemini Kemen Ekerette – Kemenfitness, Gbemileke Oscar Oyinsan – Media personality, Jason Samuel – CEO Zemuria Inc., Kunmi Ariyo – CEO of Mirus Events, Toba Adedurin – MC/Storyteller, Tosin Ogundadegbe - TheStyleInfidel, Ugo Monye – Fashion Designer Icon, and Dr Yemi-Amusan - @EventEngineering.
The Quiet Crisis Men Can’t Ignore
Around the world, men are confronting a growing crisis masked by silence. From 2021 to 2023, global health data show that suicide has become one of the leading causes of death among men.
Economic pressures, emotional isolation, and societal expectations have combined to create a perfect storm. Yet, many men still navigate these battles quietly until something breaks.
At the International Men's Day event themed “Triple G – Groom, Grow, Grind,” Sola Oyebade delivered an urgent warning: “Across the world, men are quietly struggling; these challenges are not abstract; they have tangible consequences for families, careers, and communities.”
The message landed hard because the statistics corroborate lived experience: men are advancing more slowly, dying earlier, and facing deeper psychological strain. And while women’s representation in senior roles is climbing, McKinsey reports that men’s progression is flat or declining a disparity Oyebade highlighted with concern.
The crisis is real but so is the opportunity to rise.
Why Triple G Matters Right Now
The world is changing faster than many young men can adapt. Research shows that too many lack structured habits, clear purpose, or systems that convert ambition into achievement.
Oyebade captured this dilemma succinctly: “Too many young men today lack clear habits, a sense of purpose, or practical systems that transform potential into outcomes.”
The effects?
- Stalled careers
- Erosion of confidence
- Missed opportunities
- Higher vulnerability to mental-health crises
To contextualise the challenge, the table below contrasts women's and men's advancement trends referenced during the event.
Global Leadership & Mobility Trends (2021–2024)
(Referenced verbally from McKinsey & Company’s “Women in the Workplace 2024” report)
Indicator | Women | Men | Observed Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
Senior leadership representation | Increasing steadily | Flat / declining | Women rising faster |
Mid-management mobility | Strong upward movement | Slower upward movement | Men lagging |
Career stagnation risk | Lower | Higher | Growing male vulnerability |
Work-life wellbeing score | Improving | Declining | Mental strain intensifying |
Oyebade removed the veneer of success that young men often idolise. He shared personal struggles like jumping “the back of a molue” to get home, relying on friends just to eat once a day, reinforcing that resilience is built, not inherited.
The interest here isn’t merely emotional; it is structural. If male stagnation continues, industries, families, and nations suffer. And so Triple G emerges not as a slogan, but a survival framework.
Building Men Who Build Futures
Triple G offers men a practical roadmap:
- Groom Become Intentional – This is the stage of clarity, discipline, and controlled habits. Grooming means building the internal architecture that sustains ambition, such as routines, self-awareness, and mental hygiene.
- Grow, Acquire Tools and Capacity – Oyebade emphasised that mentorship and practical tools matter more than motivational speeches. “Anticipate tools, not lectures. Look forward to a community that holds you accountable.”
- Grind Execute Relentlessly – Growth becomes transformation only through sustained effort. Oyebade reminded participants that success is rarely linear: “As we went up, we went down more times than we went up, sometimes we went underground.”
The desire here is powerful: to build men who create stability at home, productivity at work, and legacy in society.
Start Small, Stay Consistent, Keep Moving
The call to action is direct:
- Build routines for small daily wins
- Hold honest conversations instead of silent suffering
- Seek communities that demand accountability
- Prioritise mental and emotional grooming
- Invest in personal systems, such as learning, discipline, and financial habits
- Grind through setbacks instead of pausing dreams
Oyebade’s closing line captured the urgency: “The future rewards those who prepare.” Men must begin now, not perfectly, but intentionally.
PATH FORWARD – Raise Standards, Build Systems, Advance Men
The Triple G movement seeks to establish clear systems that help men cultivate healthier habits, stronger mental frameworks, and consistent long-term growth. It encourages communities, institutions, and mentors to step into active roles that guide young men through the grooming, growing, and grinding stages.
The priority ahead is simple: convert conversations into accountability-driven action. By strengthening men, the movement aims to fortify families, workplaces, and society, thereby ensuring no man is left behind in a rapidly evolving world.
Triple G at a Glance
