If we wanted to learn about culture and tradition, we would have pushed for it to become compulsory in primary and high school. But when we have ‘special people’ trying to distract us from a topic at a particular time, we know hypocrisy is at play again.
Today on social media, while Nigerians are using their voices to demand police accountability and put an end to impunity, indiscriminate killing, brutality, extortion, some other Nigerians think it is time to play the ‘respect your elders’ card, and Wizkid‘s reply to President Muhammadu Buhari‘s tweet is the genesis.
Donald trump is not your business!
Old man! Police/Sarz still killing
Nigerian youth on a daily! Do something!
Nothing concern u for America!
Face your country !! https://t.co/thxmoYb7VE— Wizkid (@wizkidayo) October 4, 2020
Buhari had wished US President Donald Trump and his wife a speedy recovery, while Nigerians protested the evil cult Nigerian Police unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have become and Wizkid added his voice with others Nigerians who said that incident is not his business for now.
The highpoint of Wizkid’s tweet has created the ‘Old Man’ trend.
Some Nigerians have taken the opportunity to educate Wizkid, his fans, and other Nigerians on the need to be respectful. They place their argument on the fact that Wizkid came off as disrespectful and because of his influence, he may be creating a culture for the younger generation which will hold no regard for the elderlies.
READ ALSO – #EndSARS: Nigerian celebrities have joined the fight against police brutality and a protest is underway
However, if we can do a poll asking Nigerians to answer, honestly, how many times they have been very respectful to the president, you will be surprised at the answers you would get. Choosing to ignore Wizkid’s entire message and focusing only on him being ‘disrespectful’ shows another level of hypocrisy among Nigerians.
The cruz of Wizkid’s tweet is for the President to respond to the trends and act accordingly, knowing that young Nigerians are the target, and the #EndSARS trend did not start just yesterday.
But, the culture-respect argument is just a distraction, especially when you consider that the topic can be brought up after we have dealt with the issue at hand.
Let us introduce to the Guardians of the ‘Nigerian culture’:
No matter how you look at it, no matter how angry you are with Nig, Wizkid using the words "old man!" on the president is an insult in his Yoruba culture. We are not British, we're not Americans, we are Nigerians and we have a culture. From the eye of a parent, that's decadence
— Souljah (@jeffphilips1) October 5, 2020
Yes it is. Sheer arrogance. I think when these young influencers speak they should try and think of their own parents and what they have attained in life as an individual. It is an aberration in Yorubaland to say so.
— Adekemi Famuagun Balogun (@kembalo) October 5, 2020
Wizkid lack home training for abusing our president, has wizkid ever heard of diplomacy? Well that's how @wizkidayo addresses his father and mother at home so I don't blame the idiot #blackface #Buhari
— salisu sule (@Sssalisu_sule) October 5, 2020
Wizkid called #Buhari an old man and some people are lambasting him but Buhari is an old man naa. Abi he never old?
— Boss (@Dr_JohnElvis) October 5, 2020
I don't know any culture in Nigeria in which it's okay at any time to address an older person as "Old man, do such and such." Maybe in your little corner of Yoruba land it's okay but I want to assure you that majority of Yorubas find that kind of behaviour aberrant.
— Guze (@golayiwole) October 5, 2020
Wizkid was so disrespectful with the way he addressed the president even if you don’t respect the fact he’s your president respect the fact he’s old enough to give birth to you please let’s b guided this should be a big lesson for him
— uyi (@badboyuyi) October 5, 2020
I'm not a supporter of Buhari or anything that has to do with him, but truth be told wizkid is wrong for addressing him that way, it's disrespectful to be addressing the president of the country you live in as "an old man" #EndSarsNow
— F A A R E E S
(@MFaarees_) October 4, 2020
(@MFaarees_) Lmao, so Yoruba people are angry that Wizkid called buhari 'old man', saying its disrespectful to their culture.
—
Oma (@sexy_oma_) October 5, 2020
Oma (@sexy_oma_) Freedom of speech does not mean madness. The word Wizkid uttered to President Buhari is an offensive and disrespectful one. He has the right to castigates the Buhari admin but not to insult him. Someone said, Wizkid has a file in psychiatric hospital that's why. No wonder
— Muhammad M Abba (@Muhammad_M_Abba) October 4, 2020
He is to be called Mr president not an old man. Accept it, wizkid is so disrespectful to the person of Mr president. How would you feel if someone in a disrespectful manner call your father an old man?
— Danjuma Maduwa (@Danjuma_maduwa) October 5, 2020
The conversation continues and won’t end anytime soon. What do you think about this?
Michael is a dynamic writer who is still exploring the nuances of life and being human. When I’m not writing, I’m out with friends or spending nice time alone watching movies or TV Shows.
Michael is available on Twitter and Instagram @TheMichaelFaya
Read » #EndSARS: Buharists are here again, this time to teach us the Yoruba culture on YNaija