Content creator and skit maker Isaac Olayiwola, popularly known as Layi Wasabi, has shared a poignant childhood memory that sheds light on traditional disciplinary practices.
Recently in the United Kingdom, Layi Wasabi recounted his experience on the 90’s Baby Show podcast, reflecting on a strict upbringing that emphasised academic achievement.
The content creator detailed an incident from his childhood when his uncle travelled all the way from Ibadan to Osogbo to flog him after he failed his Physics and Mathematics exams. “I never had neighbours beat me, but I had uncles flog me,” Layi Wasabi recalled. “I had one that travelled to flog me.”
The incident stemmed from his mother’s high academic expectations. “My mom always wanted me to do medicine or something in sciences,” he explained. Despite passing Biology and Chemistry, his struggles with Physics led to a recommendation that he pursue subjects in the arts. This decision greatly displeased his mother, who felt he was not taking his studies seriously. She contacted his uncle, who promptly responded, “Don’t worry, I’ll be there in Osogbo tomorrow.”
In a humorous yet poignant recounting, the skit maker described how he welcomed his uncle, unaware of the impending punishment. “I was the one who opened the gate for him and assisted him to carry his load from the car,” he said. His uncle’s stern words still resonate with him: “You failed Physics and you didn’t do well in Mathematics, lie down there.” He knew his fate was sealed at that moment.
One of the podcast guests joked about the scheduled nature of the flogging, to which Layi Wasabi humorously replied, “I can’t play with you by four, I have to receive a flogging.”
Celebrated for his distinctive humour and towering presence, Layi Wasabi secured his first Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) in the Best Digital Content Creator category this year.
