One Saturday late last year, while sitting at a BRT bus shelter in here in Lagos, waiting to be pick up to attend a wedding ceremony, I noticed three teenagers playing a kind of game. They would hurl their slippers at the Curb and the slippers that when the furthest won. I thought it was just a game until I saw N20 notes exchange hands- they were gambling. Gambling right in the middle of a busy bus terminal and the world just went by. Nobody even noticed them not to talk of cautioning them. What should I do? Sit and turn a blind eye or stop them from this addictive behaviour that would surely lead to other vices?
So I stood up, walk up to them, flashed my National I.D card and shouted “STOP THERE, so you are gambling eh?!” Omg! I saw a dramatic expression of the word-Scamper.lol Two of the lads ran so hard that they forgot their tray of goods and the third obvious too frightened to run, raised his hands in the air and said “I am not there o”. At that, i “ordered” him to vamoose from the locality and went back to my seat laughing so hard. With tears in my eyes I watched them return to retrieve their trays.
I can’t stand children misbehaving. I have been told by many people that I “concern” myself too much. But that is the problem- people are not just concerned anymore. So the children/youths are ignored and are allowed to gradually slide into the depths of decadence. Gone are the days where you’d discipline your neighbour’s child and they will thank you and give that child another round of discipline. Nowadays, teachers are sacked for punishing students; neighbours are insulted, harassed or arrested and detained for “correcting” children. Hear this; no child does anything without seeking the approval or disapproval of adults around. Silence is an approval, so please show some concern. Help curb generational degeneration. You might not save a whole generation, but you can help set a derailing child straight.
Impersonating a police officer is a crime, but if that’s what it takes to “help” a child; then I’d do it over again!

One of the ills that kids pick from street hawking;gambling.

2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd comment

U should go to a Casino where Big men gamble and try acting "detective" on them and watch them blow ur brains out

Community service. Nice one

2nd

Hmmm....

You are lucky you didn't meet them Akpos level, you for regret approaching them.

WoW

Ok go and join the police force

Make "real" police catch you

nice one...u are a true Nigerian, bt watch where u dey do this kind thing o coz i no know no dey o...cho tia

mickyyss: [size=14pt]NA LIE!

Even if na true, you prolly wanted to use the opportunity to extort money from them boys.

Come try that kind bull crap for my jungle, if dem born you well.

Wetin you even find come there, you go talk.[/size]

Kid they have rang the bell for break over, go back into your classroom your service not needed here!!

That means we still have some concerned-"aproko"-patriotic citizens! good one.

Lol, nairalanders una heads dey shake, instead of una to commend d guy una dey tongue lash am, @ op, nice one jare, our our society has lost all sorts of moral values, I pray we go back to the times when the community helped to raise the children,

donsax:
Kid they have rang the bell for break over, go back into your classroom your service not needed here!!

[size=28pt]U are an Albino Baboon.[/size]

Nice one

OP,
In case of next time, you don't need to flash you National ID, just approach them and try talk to them. I do that a lot to those I am close to around me and that is why I have quite a number of youngs folks as friend. Remember, the approach matters and impersonating a police officer is a crime I suppose.

impersonating a police officer is a criminal offence.

I remember being approached by a decent looking teenager for N200. He claimed he had misplaced his poor mother's money and looked so morose. Initially wanted to give him the money but decided to prod further. Asked how he lost it, etc. Offered to help beg his mom. He refused vehemently, claiming he had lost so much money recently she promised to disown him if he made that mistake again. By now i suspected the little tramp (i played far worse tricks growing up).. Eventually i asked him to fess up and he "confessed" he used the money to play video game. I looked at this obviously misguided kid and felt i owed it to society to try and rescue him before he became a full-blown thief. He seemed like he came from a decent-enough home. (Mind you, this story is extremely abridged, encounter lasted more than an hour)

Threatened him with death if he dared run ( i was hoping he'd run, i wouldn't have chased and killed him as i threatened), but the young lad wasn't even hardened. I asked he take me to his house and he was begging and crying, promising to turn a new leaf. I didn't budge.

On getting to their "modest" one-bedroom apartment (modest is an overstatement) i met his lovely mother, real beautiful woman you know money woulda fit her. She wondered who the f*ck i was. Explained myself, and the situation. The poor woman was just tired of life. Apparently the boy was doing so badly in school, his siblings were doing very well. He was a complete failure. Herself and husband, both poor teachers were doing every extra possible to provide for them, and their first son was being a damn f00l. His older sisters were mad at him. Revealing all the lies he had fed me and more. I promised to follow up on him for which the mom was very grateful and thankful that i'd take it upon myself to try and correct a lost boy... I mean, it is the entire community that raises a man, not just the parents as is the practice nowadays right?

..Fast forward a year later, i met him on the road and this new man comes to greet me confidently. Ask how he's doing, how's school, etc. He replies great great! Wanted to tip him but decided against it. nevertheless i was proud that my "snitching" had at least saved a soul...

Fast-forward another six months, i was with my girlfriend in the car and parked in an open place only to see this same motherf*cker begging the life out of someone who's car had broken down and was battling with overheating at 8pm, telling the man that he was stranded and needed N50 to get him to Ojota, the man said no problem i will drop you there when i fix my car.. The boy was angry, begging as if it was his entitlement, lying those same old lies he hasn't even bothered to polish after two years. He couldn't see me but i was following the whole scene very well up to the point he trudged off in righteous anger and disappointment.
..... I gave up on humanity that day. Person wey go useless go useless.

So sorry for the long post, here's a potato for all your troubles: 0

mickyyss: [size=14pt]NA LIE!

Even if na true, you prolly wanted to use the opportunity to extort money from them boys.

Come try that kind bull crap for my jungle, if dem born you well.

Wetin you even find come there, you go talk.[/size]

where be your jungle?[i][/i]

kehinde1588: 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd comment

.
I think u should meet Gej 2 collect ur trophy.

mickyyss: [size=14pt]NA LIE!

Even if na true, you prolly wanted to use the opportunity to extort money from them boys.

Come try that kind bull crap for my jungle, if dem born you well.

Wetin you even find come there, you go talk.[/size]

Last time I check, animals live in the jungle... Smh.

Op, pls i need u to do it again, but on this forum. To curb the madness of this nairaland boys. Pls pls pls.

yuzedo: I remember being approached by a decent looking teenager for N200. He claimed he had misplaced his poor mother's money and looked so morose. Initially wanted to give him the money but decided to prod further. Asked how he lost it, etc. Offered to help beg his mom. He refused vehemently, claiming he had lost so much money recently she promised to disown him if he made that mistake again. By now i suspected the little tramp (i played far worse tricks growing up).. Eventually i asked him to fess up and he "confessed" he used the money to play video game. I looked at this obviously misguided kid and felt i owed it to society to try and rescue him before he became a full-blown thief. He seemed like he came from a decent-enough home. (Mind you, this story is extremely abridged, encounter lasted more than an hour)

Threatened him with death if he dared run ( i was hoping he'd run, i wouldn't have chased and killed him as i threatened), but the young lad wasn't even hardened. I asked he take me to his house and he was begging and crying, promising to turn a new leaf. I didn't budge.

On getting to their "modest" one-bedroom apartment (modest is an overstatement) i met his lovely mother, real beautiful woman you know money woulda fit her. She wondered who the f*ck i was. Explained myself, and the situation. The poor woman was just tired of life. Apparently the boy was doing so badly in school, his siblings were doing very well. He was a complete failure. Herself and husband, both poor teachers were doing every extra possible to provide for them, and their first son was being a damn f00l. His older sisters were mad at him. Revealing all the lies he had fed me and more. I promised to follow up on him for which the mom was very grateful and thankful that i'd take it upon myself to try and correct a lost boy... I mean, it is the entire community that raises a man, not just the parents as is the practice nowadays right?

..Fast forward a year later, i met him on the road and this new man comes to greet me confidently. Ask how he's doing, how's school, etc. He replies great great! Wanted to tip him but decided against it. nevertheless i was proud that my "snitching" had at least saved a soul...

Fast-forward another six months, i was with my girlfriend in the car and parked in an open place only to see this same motherf*cker begging the life out of someone who's car had broken down and was battling with overheating at 8pm, telling the man that he was stranded and needed N50 to get him to Ojota, the man said no problem i will drop you there when i fix my car.. The boy was angry, begging as if it was his entitlement, lying those same old lies he hasn't even bothered to polish after two years. He couldn't see me but i was following the whole scene very well up to the point he trudged off in righteous anger and disappointment.
..... I gave up on humanity that day. Person wey go useless go useless.

So sorry for the long post, here's a potato for all your troubles: 0

Why didn't you mentor him and find him a job?

From safety point of view, Imagine d kids that ran away were knocked down by a vehicle while trying 2 escape ur pranks, what justification do u av 2 avoid persecution?
On d other hand, if d kids confronted n insulted u, what would av been ur reaction.
.
.
Pls fight where ur defence lies

Michaeljones36:

Why didn't you mentor him and find him a job?

I was going to, but me sef dey find job at that time!
Infact was actually going for a job interview the day this incident happened.

kehinde1588: 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd comment

.


When will you grow up?

anitank: U should go to a Casino where Big men gamble and try acting "detective" on them and watch them blow ur brains out

Looking for sensibility in this..... Still searching

Ever heard the statement,'live to die another day'?
U didn't stop them as claimed, u prevented them. If u really wanna stop someone, start with a campaign wit a community service and count ur converts.
Gambling is a disease!!!

mickyyss: [size=14pt]NA LIE!

Even if na true, you prolly wanted to use the opportunity to extort money from them boys.

Come try that kind bull crap for my jungle, if dem born you well.

Wetin you even find come there, you go talk.[/size]

By their fruit you shall know them....