Nigeria has a prying culture

A culture where we poke our nose into people’s business.

In fact an average Nigerian was raised to snoop. We were raised to meddle, not to mind our business.

So we ask personal questions with a spirit of entitlement. We ransack, bug and ferret out people’s lives like it’s an extension of ours.

Any wonder we don’t understand why it’s inappropriate to ask strangers questions like how was your night? when are you getting married? are you pregnant yet? Oh I thought you were pregnant, what happened to it? When are you having your next baby?

We creep on people’s wall to force our opinions on them like we don’t have our own walls. Or show up in their DM’s to shut them up as unfit role models just because they are divorced.

Most of us were raised to be unconsciously nosy.

We gape into people’s business mindlessly.

We are not fully aware of the meaning of personal space both online and offline.

Any wonder one of the major money spinners is the business of gossip.

Earn money promulgating unfounded stories.

I remember an acquaintance who always called me to give me unsolicited stories. I didn’t notice this pattern until one day when I saw her call and didn’t pick up. Upon rumination, I found out that her phone call always left me emotionally drained. She was utilizing gossip as a tool of bonding. I wasn’t interested.

Are you also aware that social media has amplified this mindless culture? A culture that depicts lack of awareness of others?

People lose their sanity profiling, stalking and monitoring other people’s serendipity.

We can do better and we must do better.

A core value we have to imbibe and nurture this year is the business of minding our business.

True change will begin once we pass this personal space test.