August 06, (THEWILL) – Music act, Joseph Akinfenwa, popularly known as Joeboy, has recounted some of the challenges he faced while growing up.
The singer, in an interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo, stated that owing school fees became a stigma for him in secondary school.
Before the names of students owing school fees were called, some of his classmates would have mentioned his name.
He added that he was beaten and embarrassed for owing school fees and advised school owners to stop the stigmatisation of children whose parents cannot afford to pay their school fees.
“Some challenges I faced, maybe owing school fees. Like, there was one part where it was school fees, yea. That thing was so embarrassing. I need to say this on camera to schools. I don’t know whether they still do it but if a child owes school fees, don’t call the child out and say you’re owing school fees. Just tell the child not to come to school.
“There’s one other thing they used to do, they used to flog the child for not paying school fees. The child doesn’t have money now, so I need to put that on camera for anybody that owns a school who is watching this, do not embarrass the child because he is owing school fees.
“It was really embarrassing for me at that point because I think it affected my esteem too because I remember one incident, I was in junior secondary school then. They used to come to class to call people that owe school fees.
“So, before they even said anything, people would have called Akinfenwa Joseph, so I still remember till today and I still get those guys for mind, yeah.
“They’ve tried to reach out to me, I just ignore them like ‘why are you talking to me?’ They might not have meant it then but e pain me,” he stated.
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