MTV Shuga Naija is coming to an end tonight and we’re oh-so-excited! We can’t wait to see what will happen to some of our favs. We also have a few questions; will Faa get justice? Will Leila still make it to school? How will Ebisinde and his friends end up?
Okay, if we’re going to be honest, the questions are endlesssss!
However, in spite of our desperate curiosity and questions, we cannot forget all the lessons the show has taught us so far. Here are a few of them:
1. Go for what you know is right for you, regardless of the ‘obstacles’ around you: Hadiza showed us a perfect example of this when she stood up to her family and said she was determined to live her best possible life.
2. Rape is NEVER your fault: If you have been raped, always remember that it is not your fault but the fault of the rapist. Do not be afraid to report to the authorities and seek counsel. Like Faa in episode 8, go to the nearest hospital and have them check you and give you necessary medications. This will also serve as evidence, in case you need to present it to the police or court.
3. Family planning is important: If you’re not ready to have kids or want to wait for a bit, get family planning options and pick what you think works best. It is also perfectly fine to want to take breaks between children.
4. You don’t need to give sexual favours to move forward in life: Whether at work, at school or anywhere else, never give sex in exchange for favour. Keep working hard and believe your time will come when it’s right.
5. ‘Adulting’ isn’t always fun: As teens, it is normal to want to ‘hurry and grow up’ and be a big girl or boy. But, the truth is being an adult comes with a lot of responsibilities; so learn as much as you can as a teen so you’re ready to take the adult stage well.
6. Always use contraceptives: No one is saying you shouldn’t have sex, but please protect yourselves, young kings and queens. There are way too many diseases out there. Faa never ever gave in to any man’s ‘no condoms’ rule, she stayed true to her belief all through, but look what happened to Leila who let her ‘boyfriend’ convince her he would ‘pull out’.
7. Consent is major key: Nobody has a right to your body unless you give consent, even if that person has had sexual relations with you before. Consent must be properly communicated at every time.
8. Sexual education is important: Teaching young people about safe sex and family planning is not a wrong thing to do, but is instead, a way to ensure that they are on the right track and are protected. The better they know, the lesser the chances of someone taking advantage of their ignorance. Like Faa did to Tare, sit them down and educate them properly.
9. Don’t hide your whereabouts: Always ensure someone knows your location and can come pick you up in case there’s any unexpected issue or you feel uncomfortable or uneasy where you are. Imagine Leila didn’t have Tobi to come pick her and the other girls from the party Diana took them to.
10. Ask the right people the right questions: Always verify what ‘friends’ tell you, especially when it comes to sexual issues and other things which may affect your health. Don’t listen to a Diana without confirming what he or she is saying.
