 |
| The Odidis —both Shantel (L) and Princewill (R) appear shyer in this kissing! Hmmmm |
Efio-Ita Nyok|15 January 2017
Ikom, Cross River-born development economist, social entrepreneur, humanitarian and World Bank consultant, Mr Princewill Odidi, has made a poser on social media. This time around the ace social commentator isn’t talking politics, economy or even development as it were but has veered into culture.
Odidi is seeking explanations as to whether it’s right for parents to demonstrate affection in public especially via kissing before their children.
 |
| The Oshiomholes… Doing it |
In a social media thread titled, ‘Is it a Sin as an African Parent to kiss your Spouse in front of your Children or in Church?’ this faithful husband and loving father narrated an incident where he witnessed a heated debate that bordered on the un-Africaness of showing or expressing love in front of their children.
Odidi confessed to how uncomfortable he felt a few years ago when he witnessed a similar open show of love when he started staying in the US. He exclaimed —’What an abomination’!
After staying for awhile in the States and taking cognizance of cultural differences both in America and his native Africa, Odidi is now asking is it right to kiss in public places like churches, supermarkets, etc especially in full glare of our children? He is even querying the Africaness of kissing.
 |
| The Obamas doing it in full glare before both their daughters and the public |
What follows is an excerpt of his thread:
‘I have once witnessed a heated debate that it is wrong and unAfrican for African parents to show or express love in front of their children, like having your parents kiss before you, or having parents kiss in Church’, Odidi began.
‘It is argued that it is unAfrican and abominable. It defies the moral of our culture and our society frowns at it. I can clearly remember how awkward I felt when I started staying in the USA some years ago, I had gone to a supermarket and immediately I saw a Couple kissing and their little 9 year old watching. I gasped and told my younger brother on phone “what an abomination”. Someone just said he would vomit if he sees his own parents kissing. Remember how awkward it looked when Jonathan attempted to publicly kiss Patience at the airport in Abuja when she came back from sick vacation, Nigerians shouted!’, he continued.
 |
| The Jonathans in their hay days in the presidency |
‘The question today is: Is it right for parents to show affection of love like kissing in front of their children, in church, or in public places in Nigeria? Is it anti African or are we copying Oyibo too much? Is Kissing even our culture? Let me know what you think? Happy Sunday, let us deviate from Politics and talk love and relationships today! So this kissing thing in Public by our parents is it acceptable or sinful?’, Odidi concluded.
What’s the readers take? Is kissing African or not? Is it right or otherwise to kiss in public especially before our kids?
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org
