I've been on Nairaland for quite some time.
Not really been. Followed is the word, as this topic bores me so I have to create a moniker (or is it Monica?)
I grew up with a father that is conservative with almost everything.
The biggest part is betting.
Since I graduated from school early, 19 and completed my NYSC before my 21st birthday, I thought getting a job will be easy. My dad used to pull some strings before PMB became president but not anymore.
I began to look for jobs. My youth was a barrier as I looked even younger than 21, it was even harder to get a job.
That was when I got a job with Bet9ja. Bad habits they say, is easier to learn that I began to adopt a lifestyle different from the one I've upheld over the years. Not even alcohol and babes could distract me during my university's days but I began to do them while working.
My dad kicked against the job. To him, betting is immoral and not something his child needs to practice let alone make others lose money in it.
Well, at some point he was right. I lose money immediately they came into my hands. My lifestyle was not encouraging me to save money or do any meaningful thing.
During one or two issues, my dad will bail me out of the financial mess I put myself in until like the prodigal son, I came to my senses. But the revelation was shocking.

As someone curious, I asked my dad why he thought betting was immoral. He looked at me and said, "Son, you will not understand".
After an intensive 3-hour discussion, I understood the reason he was against betting is not that betting is immoral but because he has been burnt by it. He lost, according to him, a figure that when converted to today's naira will comfortably build a maisonnette in Ikeja and buy a Toyota Corolla with the remaining balance.
Then it occurred to me the Nigerian way of doing things. Something is bad if it doesn't favour us.
The BBN that many people are protesting has millions of Nigerians watching it. With the backlash it received, I expected it to have no viewer from Nigeria but that's not the case.
What about that boutique sex video? See the way Nigerians were begging each other to share the video amongst themselves.

The question is why do we keep lying to ourselves over things?
When someone talks about sex, we see people behaving as if they know nothing about sex.
When we talk about betting, you see people saying it's immoral when we know deep down within us that we gamble almost everything here in Nigeria. The day one man told me he has multiple children is in the event of anyone dying, he won't end up being childless.
Why do our parents borrow money to train us in school? Is it not to hope the child gets a future? Why are people angry about that "child as retirement package" stuff?
It's simple. Nigerians are hypocrites.

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I finally left that job but it increased my love for betting as I've learned as Chinua Achebe said, if the hunters learn how to shoot without missing, the birds must learn how to fly without perching.

Nice and cool kindly check my siggy get yourself something doing, engage yourself then your mind will be over all of this

The truth is every parent wants the best for their children and they won't want their wards to make same mistake that they made

well the truth remains that we are African, there are some values that will remain unchanged even in our subconsciousness no matter the civilization, we believe that there is dignity in labour, one must toil before money will eventually come, therefore something like betting for instance is not something that a sane person should be proud to show off, because subconsciously we believe that it is a fast means to life, get rich quick syndrome and all other vices accompanied it. even the holy book shun against it.....

Mekenz:
well the truth remains that we are African, there are some values that will remain unchanged even in our subconsciousness no matter the civilization, we believe that there is dignity in labour, one must toil before money will eventually come, therefore something like betting for instance is not something that a sane person should be proud to show off, because subconsciously we believe that it is a fast means to life, get rich quick syndrome and all other vices accompanied it. even the holy book shun against it.....

Everything is based on morality.
Why can't we base something on at least logic or clearcut thinking?

OyiboPep:

Everything is based on morality.
Why can't we base something on at least logic or clearcut thinking?

I understand your points very well, trust me if you happen to win a fortune from it,you Will be celebrated and nobody will remember to castigated you, but the chances are very slim. also it boils down to my former comment,we are too attach to our so call religions, secondary imaging yourself telling someone or your in laws to be that you do sports betting as a living, does it makes sense to you? but then in the west,nobody cares that why I said that we are Africans, there are some values and norm that are imbedded in us,which we can hardly erase.........call it African mentality if you like.

Mekenz:
I understand your points very well, trust me if you happen to win a fortune from it,you Will be celebrated and nobody will remember to castigated you, but the chances are very slim. also it boils down to my former comment,we are too attach to our so call religions, secondary imaging yourself telling someone or your in laws to be that you do sports betting as a living, does it makes sense to you? but then in the west,nobody cares that why I said that we are Africans, there are some values and norm that are imbedded in us,which we can hardly erase.........call it African mentality if you like.

You have a point though.

Stop thinking about Nigeria.... Focus on urself. Naija na lost and dead zone already. I no fit kill myself