Justina Nkang: This is not a case of peer pressure

By Victor Ikechukwu

The recent incident involving a 300-level UNIPORT student, Otuene Justina Nkang, who was alleged to have been murdered by her boyfriend, Collins is indeed sad.

More heartbreaking is the mutilation of her body by her supposed lover an alleged ritualist and fraudster (Yahoo boy).

Following the news of Justina’s murder, a lot of influencers, bloggers, and celebrities have dropped their piece of cake on the issue.

While some heaped the blame on the deceased accusing her of engaging in an immoral lifestyle just because some tips are often remitted to her account. Others blamed the suspected killer for being a victim of peer pressure and for allowing people’s lifestyle (social influence) decide how he should live.

From what I’ve gathered, many of them attributed this crime to Peer pressure and social influence. Martins Vincent Otse, aka VeryDarkBlackMan also made a statement on the issue still in line with the peer pressure and social media influence argument.

While the Popular opinion is that peer pressure is the main drive for the deteriorating character of our young generation (Gen Z), however, I do not buy into this ideology.

This is my stand:
First, we are in a generation where social media as a form of entertainment has a great influence over our everyday Life and there is nothing we can do about it. Bloggers, influencers and entertainers have gained and are still gaining from the honey flowing through the street of social media.

Individuals expose their lifestyle which sometimes might be tagged “fake” but it takes a lot to live such a life as you don’t know what happens behind the scenes. Most times, these things are done for clout or to gain followers which will still add more money to their pocket.

However, we cannot totally condemn social media because some miscreants chose to recreate its negative influence ignoring the positive. Good Values also exist on social media.

Secondly, a person who engages in a fraud crime which eventually leads to rituals cannot be said to be a minor issue or mistake. It is a well-calculated action which perhaps he would have gotten away with if not for the intervention of the security forces.

A murderer will always remain a murderer no matter how he tries to sugarcoat it. Decisions involving the death of a fellow or victimizing a fellow, just like Justina’s case is nothing less than a criminal act, and we should not make excuses for it as it is premeditated and often bred by greed and selfishness.

Lastly, society now acknowledges wealth no matter its source. When you try to speak against it, you are tagged an antagonist or ‘bad belle’ per se.

During my days as an undergraduate, after the strike, different individuals (both genders) came back with a lot of goodies including cars and expensive phones. No job and no one dared question the source of that wealth.

My point is, everyone has a conscience. Subduing your conscience and perpetuating acts like fraud, killing, kidnapping,  rituals, etc under the guise of yahoo does not make you anything less than a proper criminal and murderer.
Our generation needs to learn how to call a spade a spade.
Let’s stop sugar-coating the activities of these guys or we will learn the hard way.

Victor Ikechukwu is a budding researcher and economist