The Tony Elumelu saga has sparked conversations about how traditional values of respect, discipline and proper greetings toward elders are gradually fading among Nigerians, especially as Western influences reshape modern parenting.
There are certain cultural attributes that are perculiar to us as Nigerians. Everything must not be compared to how it's done in the West.
I'm talking about the culture of respect. If anything, this Tony Elumelu saga really exposed that some of our African values are gradually dissipating.
Respect is the core of our traditions irrespective of the tribe, that's one thing that is common across different ethnic groups.
I'll speak for my Igbo tribe, it doesn't matter how woke you're, you must greet good morning, good afternoon, good evening to your parents and elders.
If you see your mother or father in the morning and don't greet good morning, next thing that will follow is slap... there's no two ways about it.
We don't do "hi mom" or "hi dad" over here, we don't wait for our parents to greet us first. In fact if your father greets you first, be rest assured that you're in a hot soup....that's just it. And it will be f00/ish of a Nigerian man or vvoman to criticise that or compare us to Oyibos.
It's considered disrespectful to give or receive anything from an older person with a left hand. The first time you did that might probably be the last time because you'll receive a brain resetting knock.
And many more.....to foreigners, it doesn't make sense but to us, we understand that's part of our root. Respect, discipline, training used to be the core of parenting.
Even for Nigerians that left the country or raised their families in Oyibo land, as long as they have spent some years in Nigeria before migrating, these cultural attributes I'm referring to are already ingrained in them that it will take a long time for them to adjust.
