PNigerian Stand-Up Comedian and Nollywood actor, Bovi Ugboma has opened up about his unconventional parenting philosophy.
Bovi while speaking on The Honest Bunch podcast on Monday highlighted the importance of empathy and understanding over corporal punishment.
I Don’t Support Beating Children – Bovi
He shared personal anecdotes about his experiences as a father and his stance against traditional disciplinary methods.
Bovi recalled instances when his child, in moments of frustration, broke household items, including televisions.
“My son dey break television for the fun of it. If he vex, he go throw stuff and break it,” he said, adding that his family went through three televisions during that phase.
Rather than resort to physical punishment, Bovi emphasized the importance of patience and emotional awareness, especially as the child eventually exhibited remorse for such actions.
He further reflected on the deeper motivations behind disciplining children.
Further, he urged parents to evaluate whether they are correcting the child’s behaviour or reacting out of frustration.
“Most times when we hit kids, check: are you really trying to correct them, or are you frustrated?” he asked, challenging the traditional Nigerian approach to parenting.
Beyond parenting, Bovi criticized the culture of hierarchical bullying in schools, where older students are often given undue authority over their younger peers.
He stated, “No child should be given authority over another child in the name of ‘senior student.’ They are children.”