Forced Mamahood: ‘Na Our (Your) Mama Be This O’- A Review Of Discordant Chorus From Self-Assertive Nursing Students By Adeola Soetan

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A School of Nursing is an institution of higher learning where professional nurses are trained to uphold honesty, diligence, and ethical standards. Nurses are not expected to engage in unethical practices such as swapping babies in the delivery room or stealing and selling placentas for rituals. Integrity and professionalism are core values that nurses must embody both in hospital wards and in their everyday conduct.This raises the question: why were students at Agbor School of Nursing expected to accept a song that declared Remi Tinubu as their "mama"? The insult was further compounded when the students were told they had no other "mama" but Remi Tinubu. The attempt to impose this title on them, despite their visible rejection, reflects an act of unprofessional and excessive sycophancy by the event\'s MC.The MC seemed either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring the discordant response from the students, who were clearly protesting the hardship and economic challenges caused by Remi\'s husband’s administration. Was the MC genuinely unaware, or was this an attempt to force the students into accepting Remi Tinubu as their "mama" against their will? In past university settings, no MC would have dared to push such an ego-stroking narrative, let alone insist after clear rejection. In those days, if such an imposition had been attempted, students would have responded with a walkout or loud chants of "No, no, no!" The nursing students deserve commendation for peacefully voicing their rejection in a melodic, danceable chorus that has since gained attention online. At institutions like Great Ife, guests such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Gani Fawehinmi, Tai Solarin, Wole Soyinka, and Ola Oni were honored voluntarily, without any forced titles or imposition of "Babahood" or "Mamahood." Respect was given to those who had earned it, not dictated by an MC’s misguided sense of loyalty. MCs should be discerning enough to select appropriate songs for different settings and audiences. The song "Na our mama be this o, we no get another one" might be suitable for political rallies attended by individuals looking for handouts, but a nursing school is not the place for such political theatrics. A school is a center for learning and intellectual development, not a campaign ground for political propaganda. The Provost of the school should have praised the students for demonstrating independent thinking and rejecting blind sycophancy. Instead, she issued a misguided scapegoating query to a student for sharing the incident on social media—a pointless move in a digital age where information spreads instantly and globally. The Provost is free to personally regard Remi Tinubu as her only "mama" if she wishes. However, that level of personal loyalty should not be imposed on students and staff. Educational institutions are not political arenas, motor parks, or religious centers where ethics and integrity are routinely sacrificed for flattery and hero worship. Schools should foster critical thinking and moral independence, not blind allegiance.Adeola Soetan0803720785