Sad. Disheartening and disgusting! Nigeria is a nation of drama. We trivialize what we should criminalize.
From Fayose to Dino to Pondei to Mentu, we trivialize and make jokes out of what should call for national outcry, Sad. I watched the calm down video and my heart bleeds for the boy child and that boy in particular.
Doing wrong is now celebrated even by those who should know better. Watch the video again!
A mother was about to discipline the son for STEALING. The boy went into frenzy drama to manipulate the mum out of being disciplined. Rather than for the mum to remain firm… Ohun tí ó dà, ó dá… She made a video out of it and it went viral. Typical Nigerians, we were all caught in the frenzy without looking deep at the substance. We glorify the wrong thing.
How did we get to this point that the thieves are asking the owners to calm down in order to escape punishment? Why do our commonwealth looters require of us a calming down when they must never allow going scot-free from their crimes. When should misdemeanour become our national celebration?
Something is wrong with our values. What is wrong is now right in an ever harsh environment like ours.
How about the boy child and his sudden fame and heroism? How about his self-esteem? Is the mother of the boy child happy throwing a thieving boy into the limelight of fame? What psychological pressure would she be subjecting a boy of about 7yo to later in life? Did she never know that she is the first gatekeeper of discipline in the house?
Worse still, she is the first love of that boy. What a mum indeed. I trust Folawiyo, my mum, she would indeed calm down but by 4.45 am when the village morning prayers clang, I will be woken with wicked strokes of the cane and a sad reminder that you can’t escape from punishment especially stealing. My grandma was worse. If you steal, don’t ever go near her house. She doesn’t forgive when one meat is missing from the earthen pot ware. Mothers condone bad acts. Wives hide husbands who are corrupt. Husbands look the other ways this day. Fathers are weakened and discipline has a new name – calm down.
We are parents who encourage children writing common entrance examinations to cheat. Parents bribe invigilators on the behalf of primary five pupils. We are a nation that perfects how to beat CBT that our children can cheat during JAMB exams. We are too quick to give to the Police and the Police are too quick to further ask for more. Aren’t you celebrating your neighbour who is a civil servant on level 10 and has over three houses, five jeeps and all the children in Canada without scholarships? Corruption is rooted in our family systems and folk tales.
The tortoise that outsmarted fraudulently the hare in a race is our hero. The animals that pranked the elephants in forest coup through ‘ao merin jọba’ deception is celebrated. What is the implication for other young boys? Are we saying crime pays? Are we not conceding crime pays. Would the son who steals in school calm down the school system to escape punishment? Invariably, we are saying enrich your way through corruption and become celebrated. No wonder, known corrupt people bag chieftaincy titles and are crowned kings.
It is time we call a spade a spade. This Naija Naira Marley dance of the craze heads is never right for raising sons to become God’s Masterpiece in a constantly challenging environment like ours. The Dino drama, the Mentu saga, the Pondei fainting, the calm down video points to one thing: we are a nation who trivialises absurdities.
I recall Abiola Ajimobi saga with Yinka Aiyefele. Ajimobi said, should we celebrate a thief because he shared his largesse? A radio station was built on the right of way – a public road – and millions supported the desecration of the commonwealth. If a boy in your hood steals your wife’s purse or when yahoo boys hack your bank account or when your son brings back pencils that are not his, would you calm down? Would you allow him to calm you down?
I bet you would because we as a nation abets thieves, glorifies looters and celebrate the crafty. You would because your son without legitimate income now has a house in Lekki. Calming down to condone corrupt characters and create more corrupt characters. Raise your son never to calm you down when he steals. Rather discipline him to calm the stealing out of him.
Raising future men starts and ends with men who truly stand for value. Our governor, would you calm down when the state commonwealth is looted?
I write that we may raise men whom all can be proud of.
Dayo Adeyemi
Boys Transformation Global Network
