by Eketi Edima Ette

In my own case, I’m the one who used my hand to go and buy trouble. I talked and talked to my mother, trying to convince her to abandon her Java phones and embrace the world of Android. I told her that one of the benefits would be WhatsApp.

“Mummy, when you’re on WhatsApp, you can share whatever information you have for us. You won’t need to buy airtime to make calls or send text messages—your data subscription will cover it.”

After many moons had gone by, she decided to heed my cry. She bought one correct Android, touchscreen version.

The only time an African parent is humble is when you are teaching them hw to operate a smart phone.
You can even send them to get you water pic.twitter.com/0rhSalJeiz

— ? (@iAmAugustine_) August 29, 2017

I was feeling like a G somebothy; I’d successfully brought my mother into the 21st century. Immediately, I installed the app on her phone. First, she was calling me every ten minutes on the phone, to ask about it.

“Kokomma, come and show me something on this Wozzup.”

This app was supposed to be for easier communication with her children. How was I to know that Mum would add all her friends on WhatsApp and that they’d be sharing BCs on the regular?

My people, there’s no kind of BC I haven’t received since then! I’m not saying this as an insult o; I know they’re going to read this– our parents, I mean. But there are some they share and I’d be wondering….how nah?

How can you not question Dr Narushitiva Khan from a certain Indian Specialist Hospital who has written to warn you to be careful not to eat onions that have been cut and left overnight, as it is one of the leading causes of cancer? Then there is the one that they circulate every year, warning us that Hausa people had a global meeting and have decided to poison beans and onions. So, don’t buy these two items.

Or the one that said, “BEWARE OF NUMBER OF DEATH! If this number 07001266600 calls you, DO NOT PICK! This number has been sent out from the marine kingdom by the Antichrist. The moment you pick the call, you will die. A man in Abeokuta was called by this number and immediately he answer he drop dead. Please share with your loved ones.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rolled my eyes until I could see the inside of my skull. The painful part is that if your mother, father, aunts and uncles are also on WhatsApp, you’ll get the same BC over and over. It’s a very painful sontin.

One time, I even had to block Mum because the broadcasts were almost causing a fight. But then she apologized and we were back to status quo.

Sigh.

What’s the most annoying or unbelievable WhatsApp BC you’ve received from a member of your family? Share in a comment below.

---

Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Eketi blogs at ketimae.wordpress.com