Nigerian comedian and actor, Bovi Ugbomma, has issued an apology following the backlash sparked by his remarks on gentle parenting during an appearance on the Honest Bunch Podcast.
Bovi initially shared that he does not physically discipline his children and highlighted how his son had broken three televisions in moments of anger without being punished. He argued that he preferred to let his children learn without resorting to physical discipline.
However, his comments triggered widespread criticism from netizens, who accused him of enabling destructive behavior and failing to instill discipline in his children.
Bovi’s Response
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Bovi expressed regret over his choice of words, specifically the phrase “for the fun of it,” which he admitted may have trivialized the issue.
“I don go trigger angry people because of the phrase I used. ‘For the fun of it.’ Make una no vex. In trying to color my point, I’ve offended a shallow mob. You don’t have to agree with me. If you have children you want to beat, enjoy. My papa no physically beat me and I turned out almost ok.”
Despite apologizing, Bovi maintained his stance on parenting, emphasizing that his father did not physically discipline him, and he plans to uphold the same approach with his own children.
Public Reactions
While some supported Bovi’s advocacy for non-violent parenting, others questioned his methods.
- @Neduzzy: “Breaking TV 3 times is a sure sign that you have failed in whatever you are doing in the name of training your child. That’s a high level of anger issues.”
- @DamilareOdulesi: “Allowing your kids to keep misbehaving because they are kids is absolutely out of it. For public sanity, we will correct an erroneous opinion.”
- @winnerbennaba: “I’m glad you acknowledge that you ‘turned out almost ok.’ Apparently, you’re not totally okay.”
Takeaway
Bovi’s apology sheds light on the complexities of parenting styles in the public eye. While gentle parenting has its advocates, the debate underscores the need for balance and understanding in addressing children’s behavior without creating societal divides.
What’s your view on Bovi’s approach to parenting? Should non-physical discipline be the norm, or does it need re-evaluation?