Extreme cases of bullying in Nigerian boarding schools

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By Nkechi Bianze

There is bullying is EVERY boarding school. There was bullying in my own secondary school. I wasn’t so much at the receiving end because I was stubborn. But I remember three encounters with three seniors. ALL these three seniors who gave me the worst punishments in secondary school are on my Facebook friend list and all three of them will read this post.

I mean, it’s extremely rare to pass through a Unity School (FGGC or FGC) as a boarding student for 6 whole academic years without your own stories and episodes of bullying. You were either bullied or you were the bully or both.

Life isn’t a competition, but I’m better than the three of them as at today. I could actually pay people to beat them back if I want. But I sincerely do NOT hold it against any of them. As at when this happened, we were all less than 16, which means we were all kids. I hold it against their parents for teaching them to be wicked.

As a senior student, I wasn’t exactly a saint. But I definitely didn’t go around beating up my juniors and collecting their provisions. There was no need for that anyway because my parents “spoilt” me with more than enough provisions and pocket money than I could finish. I ended up giving most of them out.

I went to FGGC Kabba. I remember we used to hear tales back then. We were told that some seniors students at FGC Ugwalawo locked-up a junior student in a dark wardrobe or locker and left him there for days, and he died. We were told how some senior students at FGC Idoani beat a boy till he passed out, was rushed to the hospital and was confirmed dead on arrival. So many tales. FGC and FGGC alumni and alumni of missionary boarding schools will tell you these stories.

There has been several cases of students’ deaths due to bullying and torture. And the government doesn’t prosecute, or fire any teacher or staff members who were being paid to and supposed to watch these kids. The stories just go wild, and life goes on like it was just a goat that died.

I remember the case of one of my classmates who was impregnated by a teacher in my school. She was less than 16 at the time, which automatically makes the sex statutory rape. She tried to commit an abortion, there were medical complications and she almost died. She survived though. This girl was expelled. My then Principal blamed it on us wearing short and tight uniforms. And the teacher, I mean the sex predator continued teaching in that school. Whenever I remember this, I get extremely infuriated. Too sad that neither the Federal Government nor the Principal thought it wise to punish this sexual predator. They left him to carry on teaching and molesting other students.

Some of the stories of bully, sexual molestation, statutory rape, exploitation and torture of students in Nigerian boarding schools can pass as traumatic scenes and episodes from horror movies or series. They are cringeworthy and goosebumps stimulants.

What I don’t understand is why teachers and Principals do VERY LITTLE OR NOTHING about these things. Some students under your care bully, extort, steal from, maim or even murder order students under your care and you don’t freak out? If not for anything, most of you teachers are parents.

The EXTREME CASES OF BULLYING IN NIGERIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS has gone on for decades. It is seen as a lifestyle that these students are expected to adapt to. A junior student gets bullied, the junior student becomes a senior and takes it out on his own juniors. This continues from generation to generation. Some of these students graduate and get enlisted into the Army, Police or as SARS officers. And we are wondering why we have to deal with Police Brutality, SARS brutality and intimidation and bully from Army officers? These monsters were created and groomed to be bullies right from primary and secondary schools, and the teachers and Head teachers did little or nothing about it.

While in secondary school, as a junior students, I used to hear some of my fellow junior students say they can’t wait to become seniors so that they can start lording it over and bully the juniors. It’s a generational affliction, guys!

This brand of wickedness is propagated from generation to generation. We groom children to accept bullying and marginalization while they pray to get to a level where they too can hold the power to bully others. We do NOT deal with and try to put an end to bullying, we simply wait for our turn to become the bullies. It’s a nasty delusional interpretation of “life is turn-by-turn”.

Bullying and torture in Nigerian boarding schools is like an acceptable culture. And despite being a product of a Nigerian boarding secondary school, I still can’t grasp the reason behind why nothing serious has been done to put an end to this madness.

It is VERY EASY to end bullying in schools. Because these are young children. They will do what they are asked to do.

There should be an established and STRICTLY FOLLOWED ZERO TOLERANCE TO BULLYING in Nigerian secondary schools, especially the boarding schools. We need to stop breeding more future SARS and terrorists and monsters. Because at the end of the day, we as a society will suffer for all these. For instance, who is suffering the SARS brutality? WE, US, SOCIETY!

I went to a boarding school for 6 years; JSS 1 – SSS 3. But I will NOT send my children to a boarding school in Nigeria, Canada or anywhere in the world.

The world is cruel. Adults monsters have children and pass on their wickedness to their offsprings who go to schools to exercise their wickedness on their fellow students.

 

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