School of Nursing is an institution of higher learning where professional nurses are trained to be honest and diligent. Not to swap babies for mothers, or swap mothers for babies in the labour room during delivery. Not to steal placenta in the labour room or sell it for ritualists in the discharge of their duties. Nurses are expected to be truthful , precise and reject what is not ethical in the hospital wards and anywhere. . .
So, why would Agbor School of Nursing students not reject a song that unleashed Remi Tinubu on them as their mama? . The insult upon injury was to tell the students that they had no other mama o, than Remi. It was an unprofessional act of unbridled sycophancy by the MC who was not even attentive enough to the discordant chorus of the students who were registering their protest to the misgovernance of Remi’s husband and the increasing economic pains unleashed on the citizens. Or was the MC attentive but just trying to impose “Mamahood” of Remi Tinubu on the students by fire by force without respecting their right of rejection?
In our days in the university, no MC would dare sing such an ego massaging song, not to talk of imposing any exclusive Mamahood of any guest on the students and still insisting after rejection. A walk out on the guest or a shout down of No No No.. would have rented the air. The nursing students should be commended for voicing out their rejection peacefully in a melodious danceable chorus now trending. At Great Ife, we honoured our guests like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Gani Fawehinmi, Tai Solarin, Wole Soyinka, Ola Oni etc voluntarily in our own way,, singing and dancing without any imposition of “Babahood” or “Mamahood” by anyone. We gave honour to whom it was due.
MCs should be versatile enough to know which songs to sing at different places and for varied ages. “Na our mama be this o, we no get another one” song should have been reserved for political campaign rallies organised by lying political rogues where most people attending are not expected to come with their brains and dignity, just to come and hear nothing, dance to nothing and go home with nothing said and nothing forgotten. A school is not an ideal place for such nonsensical songs.
The Provost of the school should have been happy and be congratulated for not breeding idiots and “serekode” undignified students as future nurses. But unfortunately she missed her glory with her meaningless scapegoating query issued to a student for broadcasting the remarkable event on social media. That’s a stupid act in a digital communication world where everything is on air instantly for public consumption. .
The provost is at liberty to proclaim Mrs Remi Tinubu as her only mama and that she has no other mama o. But such sycophancy shouldn’t be made compulsory to students and teachers. Schools are not campaign rally venues, motor parks, national assembly or religious centres where ethics, integrity are sacrificed for sycophancy and undue hero worshipping.
Leave a Reply