For days now, there has been uproar and reactions on the social media over teenagers that were arrested in Abeokuta, Ogun State for killing a young girl who they claimed was killed for money rituals. In his reaction to this, popular Nollywood actor, Damola Olatunji has said the music and movies people hear and watch influence them.
The actor opened an opinion poll online where he asked his followers and colleagues to share their opinion. He said a child uttering song lyrics such as ‘daju’, ‘Kala’, ‘Wuwa ika’ or watching movies that are based on ritual killings and robbery everyday will be influenced by what he sees or watches.
He wrote: “Let us discuss – how do music and movies influence people? (Things we hear and see). What do you expect from a child singing – Daju – Wuwa Ika – Kaala and co? Or from a child watching movies based on ritual killings and robbery every day? What do we expect from a society where fake life and flamboyant lifestyle of people with unknown source of income is celebrated? “I am so scared for this generation.
We want everything so quick without following due process.
Hard work and dignity is no longer in our dictionary. We no longer celebrate good virtues (oruko rere san ju fadaka lo), but now the reverse is the case. May we never fall victim in Jesus mighty name.” Also reacting to the actor’s post, skit maker, Ayo Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, said people need to stop embracing any act words not promoting dignity and good virtues. According to him, those dirty words register in the minds of the children and teenagers and people need to rise against that.
“I am telling you sir, we all need to rise against it. We just can’t keep smiling while we allow dirty words register in the minds of the children and teenagers.
We just have to stop embracing any kinds of acts or words not promoting dignity and good virtues,” Ajewole said.
However, another user with the name Incomparable Godson, disagreed that the songs or movies these kids listen to or watch were what influenced them into such inhuman act but their upbringing.
He wrote: “Uncle Damola, but you act in some of those said movies and in the end of those movies, those who do rituals end of running mad or something bad happen to them, so I don’t think Nollywood is the issue here.
“That said, we all listened to that song you mentioned, you did and other young folks did too, why didn’t you or others who also listen to it go and perform any evil act or behead someone for rituals? The answer is not farfetched, it is because we are morally upright and disciplined to some extent that we know that it is bad and we don’t have the mind to do it.
“Most of these children were not raised properly. Most of them, survived in the streets, they have their hearts at their back and are very desperate. A song or movie alone cannot be what influenced these people, let us dig deep!” The conversations continue online and this matter has become a topic of serious concern and has received the attention of a lot of social media users.