Memory lane! School fight in Africa

 

If you know me, you will know that I love to talk about Africa. On that note, I will like to drive down the memory lane. Way back in Africa, schooling was and still is not for the weak kids. In Africa, if you can talk the talk, you better walk the walk. If you run your mouth, don’t expect to get away with it in Africa. It was crazy back then. School fight was very popular. Kids fight for the sake of fighting. Others fight for fun and entertainment. While, most fight to show power.

The sad thing about it is that, it doesn’t matter if you had the physical strength or not, if you misspeak, you get beat up. The bullying was ridiculous. I can remember vividly how frightened most kids were then to go to school. The worse thing about this is that their parent are not even helping matters. If you get beat up in school by your age mate, you better not come home and report to your mom. If you do, you are going to be smack. African mothers believe that you should stick up for yourself except the person that fought you is older. On average, African students fight on their way back from school on a daily basis. You will see kids cheering the bully and the victim to fight. Most times these naïve students often sustain serious injury. As bad as it may sound to you readers, it was their way of life. To these kids, school without fighting is boring.

Guess what? I know better now. I have reflected on the impact of these school fights in Africa. If kids are still practicing such, I suggest they stop. It is wrong. Mothers, teachers and by-standers, you should advice these kids to stop such act. Act like fighting is wrong in so many ways. First of all, the fact that a group of children and of the same age, fight, does not mean they have the same physical strength and power. A child can physically injure his or her age mate. The idea that kids should fight back is not acceptable. African mothers I beg you to study your kids’ strength and weakness. If he or she is involved in a fight where they gets beat up, do not encourage them to go and fight back. Do not shame them for not exhibiting the same physical strength as their abuser. Fighting to me is an abuse period. I dislike it and I will not tolerate it. Fighting also subject most kids to fear. Fear of being bullied, fear of going out and fear of association. I say this because when a child is been beaten by his age mate, his pride is gone. Especially if this happens often. Besides that, in Africa, you will see other children mock that child for being weak and coward. This is not a PSA, this is just an advice. Stop the school fighting in Africa. If you see it happen, report it. How I just wish the government, school and community have law for such act. For all I know kids can be seriously injured in fighting or worse case scenario, die. Fighting is an abuse. Let’s stop it.

Thanks.

I am humble.