Nigerian comedian Bovi Ugboma has sparked a heated debate on social media following comments about his parenting style.
During an episode of the Honest Bunch Podcast aired on Monday, Bovi shared his approach to raising children, revealing that he does not support corporal punishment, even in cases of misbehavior. He recounted an incident where his son broke three televisions out of anger and emphasized the importance of addressing such issues with understanding rather than physical discipline.
Bovi’s remarks have divided opinions, with many Nigerians voicing their views on X (formerly Twitter).
Chinaza Victoria, tweeting as #love_Victoria17, expressed concern about the broader implications of such parenting, especially in public settings.
“Imagine being a teacher and dealing with a student like Bovi’s son, who feels justified acting rashly because he’s angry. These behaviors frustrate teachers, and then parents come to fight,” she wrote.
Similarly, Mazi Nathan, tweeting as #rukky_nate, criticized Bovi’s approach, suggesting that a lack of discipline could harm a child’s development.
“One of the worst things a parent can do is fail to discipline a child when necessary. Your son breaks TVs out of anger, and you let it slide? That’s a recipe for trouble,” he argued.
Another user, #softhardguy, shared a balanced perspective, agreeing with Bovi’s opposition to physical punishment while stressing the need to teach children about consequences.
“I don’t support beating kids either, but they must learn cause and effect. Breaking TVs out of anger should be an opportunity to teach that actions have consequences and build character,” he wrote.
On the other hand, Mfon Abia, tweeting as #PrettyMfon, defended Bovi’s parenting approach, suggesting his son’s behavior might stem from communication challenges.
“Children with special needs often have tantrums and meltdowns. Beating isn’t the solution—behavioral therapy is. That’s the best approach,” she explained.
Addressing the backlash, Bovi responded on X.com on Tuesday, admitting that his comments might have upset some people.
“In trying to color my point, I’ve triggered a shallow mob. You don’t have to agree with me. If you want to beat your children, go ahead. My dad didn’t physically beat me, and I turned out almost okay,” he wrote.
Bovi also revealed that his son had faced speech and communication difficulties, which are only recently improving, explaining his empathetic approach to parenting.
“My child had a speech impediment and communication challenges. These are just starting to improve,” he added, defending his stance.
