Bovi: Child beating wrong

Nigerian comedian Bovi Ugboma emphasizes empathy, understanding over corporal punishment in his parenting approach, advocating for a more thoughtful approach.

During a recent interview on The Honest Bunch podcast, aired on Monday, Bovi shared personal experiences as a father, explaining his approach to handling difficult situations with his children.

Bovi recalled instances when his child would become upset and resort to throwing objects, including breaking family items like the television.

“I don’t advocate for beating children. You should let children be. My son would break the television just for fun. If he got upset, he would throw things and break them,” Bovi said.

He went on to explain that it wasn’t until his child reached a certain age that he began to show remorse for his actions. “Thank God for my capacity to replace the TV. If I couldn’t afford another one, my approach would have been different,” Bovi added.

“That’s why I tell people—when we hit our children, ask yourself: are you trying to correct them, or are you frustrated?”

Bovi also revealed that the incident he posted about in 2021 marked the third television his child had broken.

However, instead of resorting to punishment, Bovi focused on understanding his child’s behavior, believing that punishment rooted in frustration doesn’t lead to meaningful correction.

In the interview, Bovi also addressed the issue of bullying in schools. He criticized the hierarchical system where older students, often just 16 years old, are given authority over their younger peers.

“No child should be given authority over another in the name of being a senior student. They are children,” Bovi argued. He expressed concern that such authority can foster abuse and unhealthy power dynamics.

“When you follow our educational system, a 16-year-old is often in SS3. What does a 16-year-old truly understand about authority? It’s wrong,” he said. “This creates a culture of abuse and hierarchy. It has to stop.”

He questioned the practice of enforcing respect through fear, asking whether anyone would accept a 16-year-old punishing their child. “Would you let a 16-year-old flog your child because they believe they’re the senior?” he asked.

He further criticized the broader culture that prioritizes respect through fear, arguing that it begins in secondary school. “The white man left us and created a system for us to colonize ourselves. Now, everyone is waiting to climb to the top to assert their authority,” he explained.

“That’s why you hear people say, ‘Do you know who I am?’ It starts with a glorified form of torture where older students punish younger ones.”

On the topic of parenting, He emphasized the importance of recognizing that each child is unique.

He argued against the idea of applying a one-size-fits-all approach to raising children. “You can’t raise four children the same way,” he said.

“That’s why you’ll find some children saying, ‘I love my dad,’ while others may say, ‘I hate my dad.’ It’s because the father used the same approach for all of them.”

Bovi’s insights reflect a commitment to understanding his children’s individual needs and fostering a nurturing environment that goes beyond traditional disciplinary methods.

His emphasis on empathy, understanding, and age-appropriate parenting continues to resonate, advocating for a more thoughtful approach to child-rearing in Nigerian society.