British Int’l School bullying: Justice for Namtira

By JENNIFER YARIMA

RECENTLY, there was a mild drama at the Lead British International School, Abuja, when the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohaneye, and her education counterpart, Tahir Mamman, in company of some interest groups stormed the school in support of the parents of a school girl, Namtira Bwala, who was bullied by her school mate, Maryam.

Later, the minister and other Nigerians appreciated the social media for making the video in which the student was being continuously slapped by her classmate for a yet to be disclosed reason go viral. However, the release of that same video has continued to raise concerns amongst stakeholders in the country about the effects of social media on our society.

Despite the fact that the school was ordered to be shut down temporarily, mixed reactions have continued to trail the incident. It would be recalled that this is not the first time that the school would be thrown to the limelight for the wrong reason. A similar incident was recorded when one of their students was bullied by her classmate, Maryam Hassan.

Although what led to the act is still unclear, Nigerians are still wondering about this question the tormentor asked her victim: “Who broke my heart?” This writer believes that those words must have emanated from a jealous lover’s heart. This is obviously wicked. These girls may have clashed over a boyfriend. This is very common among young people these days. And even if that was the case, did it warrant such a violent reaction?

Back to the current case. While Namtira was being assaulted, her school mates not only looked on but openly laughed. What kind of generation are we breeding these days? It was certainly wrong for these other students to deliberately refuse to intervene.

Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. It can take the form of physical contact, words or subtler actions.

The Namtira case clearly shows that the Lead British International School’s authorities have not been able to properly address this dangerous trend.  This calls for serious concern because such behavior should not be treated with levity, the way this institution has done.

Although Maryam has apologized for her misconduct, there is still an ongoing campaign in the social media for justice to take its course. On the other hand, the police, in an official release, disclosed that they had put the machinery in place for the proper investigation of the matter. This is a very commendable step. Nigerians are anxiously awaiting the outcome of their findings.

It is unfortunate that such barbaric acts are happening unchecked in our society today, especially in formal educational institutions where the character of young adults is being moulded. We must give kudos to the social media for bringing that ugly incident to the public space for quick intervention by the minister and other prominent Nigerians. Government should accord other Nigerian victims, irrespective of class, the same attention.

Parents, students and teachers should be given proper orientation on the dangers, prevention and handling of such cases. Young people, especially, should be properly educated on how to face and report such matters without fear of harassment or intimidation. Students need to be encouraged to open up and report all forms of humiliation in all institutions of learning.

Research has shown that bullying can affect everything about a child: how they see themselves, their friends, school and their future. Furthermore, victims often experience depression and low self-esteem that may last a lifetime, which involves shyness, loneliness, physical illnesses and attempt to harm themselves.

It is important to remember that, for some, bullying is not something that can easily be left in the past and forgotten about once the experience has ended. Both bullies and their targets can suffer long term consequences, lasting from adolescence and beyond. Further findings have shown that children who are bullied are twice as likely to bring a weapon to school. This can make the school environment a likely place of attack and hideout for gangsters.

If children in high-brow schools such as Lead International go through such horrific experiences. What then becomes of kids in local community public schools which have been almost totally forgotten by governments? It’s very possible that such criminality is secretly thriving in such institutions unabated.

Parents need to counsel their children to defend themselves in the face of possible attacks. It is no disrespect for someone to guard their loin. Children should be appreciated for opening up to talk about bullying. It’s the right thing to do. Remind a child or your children that because they are not alone, they need to be reassured that they can figure out how to confront the problem together.

Sometimes, most children feel it is their fault that they are attacked and are, therefore, scared that if the bully finds out that they said anything, it would get worse. Others are afraid that their parents won’t believe them or do anything about their problem. Thus, they need to be encouraged to speak to someone. Such reports should either be to the principal, school nurse, a counselor or teacher.

Most schools have bullying policies and anti-bullying programmes. Likewise, many states across the federation require Legal steps as well be taken to address some of these sordid issues. Parents should help kids learn how to deal with bullying, if it happens. It may be tempting to tell kids to fight back because your child has suffered pains. It is important to advise kids not to respond to bullying by fighting back as it could result in damaging consequences.

As Nigerians await the outcome of the police investigations into the Namtira case, all Nigerians must appreciate the fact that bullying is a very dangerous national malaise which, if not tackled resolutely, will breed a future generation of violent men and women and victims that shall remain scarred for life.