Why do parents abroad always threaten their kids with sending them back to Nigeria whenever they misbehave? It's not like they plan on relocating with them but rather sending them to a relative to look after their children. They tell you they will be well behaved when they get to Nigeria.

sophy09: [b]Why do parents abroad always threaten their kids with sending them back to Nigeria whenever they misbehave? [/b]It's not like they plan on relocating with them but rather sending them to a relative to look after their children. They tell you they will be well behaved when they get to Nigeria.

Lol! Ever heard the phrase, fear of the unknown?

It sort of puts them in check and stops them from acting naughty. I've used that threat several times and it works a treat - ALL THE TIME!

Efemena_xy:

Lol! Ever heard the phrase, fear of the unknown?

It sort of puts them in check and stops them from acting naughty. I've used that threat several times and it works a treat - ALL THE TIME!

Lol. But seriously though I actually knew one of my secondary school classmates who kept getting that so-called "threat", eventually the threat became reality and he was sent home to Nigeria. He came back smarter and well behaved!

^^ Yep, that's a common threat that lots of Nigerian / West African parents employ. Especially for those living in the "rough neck of the woods" in London i.e South East areas like Peckham and Camberwell.

Come to think of it, there was a BBC documentary a few years ago about a couple of Ghanian parents who were so concerned about their teenage sons falling in with the wrong crowds. So they came up with this smart plan where they tricked their sons into travelling back home for the summer holidays.

Unknown to these boys (11 - 16 year olds) and twelve of them in number, the parents had pre-arranged with the head / principal of a secondary school about their plights. They'd even gone as far as securing places in the secondary school for the boys. Well, to cut a long story short, the parents did get the boys to travel and on arrival, let them know they'd be doing their secondary school there. The parents returned to the UK with the boys passports - so they were stuck in Ghana! The boys were so miffed and tried bringing their "gang mentality" to the school - you know knives - to threaten the other students and teachers with. Boy, were they in for the shock of their lives!

They hated their situation at first, but gradually accepted it, then even had aspirations to complete their secondary school education, go to university and be something worthwhile with their lives. They did admit that back at Camberwell, their priorities / aspirations were to be gang leaders commandering "respect", getting lots of girls and money from drugs. School meant nothing to them.

I'll look for that link and paste it if I can find it....

Ah! Here it is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6402577.stm

I love this statement from one of the boys: "Going to school in Ghana is like being in prison," says 19-year-old Samuel Afeeva...

Lol @ the thread, I also threaten my kid to send them to their great-grand father farm if they don't behave. It works for now, but I have a feeling it'll soon be like CC own, I'll have to find another threat

chaircover:

Thats nothing compared to the threats of tribal marks my mum used to threaten me if I broke any of her fancy plates

Lmao @ tribal marks! You hated that 666 thing don't ya?

@topic it works like magic. I was once a victim lol and currently 3 of my nieces, 2 nephews and 5 cousins are doing their time in Nigeria lol. I'm surprised they're not complaining or saying anything about coming back to the US. They come by every summer and every other Christmas.

As for me I do not like it in the sense of it depends on how you portray Nigeria to the kids. Some of these kids have never been to Nigeria and they believe some of the things they are being told in school like Nigerians live on trees.