6 Things that would earn you a back-hand slap in a Nigerian home

Nigerian parents believe in and abide by discipline. Our childhoods were incredibly fun but filled with discipline. They were a few rules we had to live by.


While kids in other countries were getting the “don’t talk to a stranger” rule and given candy afterwards, we were getting ours with knocks and ear pulling.

Those rules seemed like fun till you disobeyed. Then you got a back-hand or dirty slap for disobedience most especially from our mothers who seems to always have reflex for disobedience.

1.  Talking back
Wow! Is like you want to meet your maker very soon ba? Try it first, the beating you’d get won’t have part 2.

2.  When you throw a tantrum
African mothers, especially Nigerian ones, believe in fighting fire with fire. Shey you wanted to cry and make noise in the first place? They will add their own.

3.  Calling an older person by their name
Are you their mate? Abi has the words brother, sister, aunty and uncle finished in the dictionary?!

4.  When your parents call you and you answer “what” instead of “sir/ma”
Ha! You have been watching too much American film. The slap you’d get would be reset you to your original Naija manufactured settings.

5.  When you embarrass your parents in public
Better start crying right there. It might save you some beating.

6.  Walking past while an older person is doing chores
An Igbo proverbs says,”it takes a community to raise a child”. This includes discipline. If an older person is doing any chore or carrying something that even weighs more than you and you’re near, you have 5 seconds to pitch in or offer to help out. If it gets back to your parents that you didn’t, na double wahala for dead bodi!