One sunny afternoon, na so we gather under one big tree dey gist. E no take time before we begin hear different tori wey dey make person blood boil. Na so we hear say one small boy, Tunde, wey dey just 14 years old, waka go buy pure water for the junction. As he dey come back, some bros wey feel say na dem get area just corner am. Dem collect all the money wey he get, beat am like say dem no get mama pikin. For their mind im too dey jelly like girl, im suppose man up as per guy wey im be.
Like play, like joke, na so dem leave am for ground, dey bleed anyhow. People dey pass, but nobody fit do anything. Tunde papa don cry tire, he talk say he go find justice, but we sabi how things dey go for this side.
Another one happen for Mushin. Na there one boy wey dem dey call Chijioke, fine boy wey sabi book, him wan become doctor one day. But na wetin happen? Some boys wey no get joy catch am for one corner, beat am black and blue, break bottle for him head. Why? Because Chijioke no wan join their gang. The boy just dey pursue him education, but dem no gree. Dem talk say make he no too dey form good boy for their area. Now, Chijioke dey hospital, dem talk say he fit no see well again with one eye.
The thing tire me, e weak me sef. Wetin our boys do to deserve this kind life? Abi na government we go blame, or na we parents? Wetin be the solution? E be like say the society don forget say na these boys be the leaders of tomorrow. If we no protect dem now, wetin go happen when dem grow?
For Agege side, na another tori wey no sweet belle at all. Na one boy wey dem dey call Ahmed. Him papa na okada rider, the boy dey try hustle to support family. Na him dey sell gala for traffic. One day, police just pack am for no reason, talk say him resemble one thief wey dem dey find. Before you know, dem don carry am go station, beat am like thief, ask am to confess wetin him no know. Ahmed mama run go station, beg tire. E no take time, dem release am, but the boy don get injury for body and mind.
Why all this wickedness? Na our boys we dey talk about o! Our future! We don dey hear say young boys dey turn to crime because na the only way dem fit survive. But how we go blame dem when the society no gree give dem chance?
E dey pain me to talk this one, but even for school, the violence dey happen. For one secondary school for Surulere, one boy wey dey JS3, Emmanuel, nearly die because him classmates beat am after school. Dem talk say he too dey carry first for class. Jealousy wan kill dem, so dem plan am, beat am well well, talk say make he no dey carry book for head again. Wetin be this? If our boys no fit get peace for school, where dem go get am?
My people, the time don reach make we stand up and talk against this violence. Our boys need us, dem need our protection, our love. No be to just dey complain for beer parlor or gossip for street. Make we take action! If you see something, talk am. Report to authorities, support families wey dey suffer. Make we no let our future leaders waste for street because of violence.
Naija, we get better future, but e dey for the hand of these boys. Make we join hands protect them. Na so we go fit change this country for better.
