Nigerian comedian Bovi Ugboma has sparked an intense social media debate with his unconventional take on parenting.
During a recent appearance on the Honest Bunch Podcast, which aired on Monday, Bovi opened up about his approach to raising children, making it clear he does not believe in corporal punishment, even when children misbehave.
In the interview, Bovi recounted a personal experience where his son, in a fit of anger, broke three televisions. Instead of resorting to physical discipline, the comedian said he chose to handle the situation with understanding, an approach he believes builds better character in the long run.
However, his comments have ignited a storm of opinions on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where Nigerians have been passionately sharing their thoughts.
Chinaza Victoria, tweeting as #love_Victoria17, raised concerns about the potential impact of such parenting styles on teachers and other authority figures. “Imagine being a teacher and having a student like Bovi’s son? The kind that feels justified to act rashly out of anger. These are the behaviors that frustrate teachers, yet parents come to defend them,” she wrote.
Mazi Nathan, known on X as #rukky_nate, was even more critical, accusing Bovi of neglecting an essential aspect of parenting—discipline. “One of the worst things you can do as a parent is to fail to discipline your child when it’s necessary. Letting a child break your TV out of anger without consequence sends the wrong message,” he argued.
On the other hand, some users resonated with Bovi’s stance, advocating for alternative disciplinary measures. A user tweeting as #softhardguy agreed that corporal punishment isn’t ideal but stressed the importance of teaching children accountability. “I don’t support beating kids, but they must understand consequences. A moment like this should teach a child that throwing things when angry is unacceptable and can shape their character positively,” he shared.
Mfon Abia, tweeting as #PrettyMfon, sided with Bovi, suggesting that the comedian’s son might have acted out due to communication challenges rather than defiance. She applauded his empathetic approach, highlighting that understanding a child’s behavior is key to addressing it.
Amid the backlash, Bovi took to X on Tuesday to defend his parenting style and clarify his remarks. “I don go trigger angry people because of the phrase I used, ‘For the fun of it.’ Make una no vex,” he wrote, adding, “My father didn’t physically beat me, and I turned out almost okay. If you want to beat your kids, enjoy. But I’ll stick to my method.”
He further revealed that his son had been dealing with a speech impediment and communication challenges, which only recently began to improve. This, he explained, shaped his decision to handle situations with patience rather than punishment.
“I’ve offended a shallow mob by trying to color my point. My child had a speech impediment and a communication problem that’s just starting to improve,” he shared, reiterating his belief in empathy-driven parenting.
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