Peer pressure, love for money destroying lives in big cities
By Shanta Sih
Big cities have been noted for changing the lives of youths, in both positive and negative aspects of life. Once in such cities, there comes a time when one develops the feeling that one must do the same things as other people of one’s age and social group to be liked or respected by them.
The peer group pressure is massive on such who like nightlife. Many feel they are big boys and girls only when they take something smoky and “feel high.”
“I didn’t even know the difference between cigarettes and shisha to talk of knowing there was something like shisha until I got to Buea. Going out with friends and not smoking Shisha, you are considered a villager. Sometimes you feel ashamed of yourself that you cannot smoke…but slowly I started trying it” Ndive Joan level 400 student in Buea said.
Peer Pressure is also about who can drink beer, not only one bottle but many and if you cannot taste beer, then as a man you are considered “a weak man”. Sometimes when a friend takes you out for a drink, he prefers giving you a beer or refuses to pay for a sweet drink or water if that is your only choice.
“At level 200 I could hardly finish a bottle of Smirnoff but now, I drink even Whisky. I am not proud of it but all my friends usually go out and drink heavily. I just did not want to feel left out. I slowly joined the crew. The peer pressure is heavy, each parent should pray for their kids and check up on them” Dadjou Paul a fresh graduate from the Catholic University told this reporter.
‘Take beer, drink, enjoy life,’ you can hear peer pressure whispering in your ears.
In university communities across Cameroon, especially cosmopolitan areas like Buea, Bamenda, Douala, and Yaoundé, students need money to be able to survive and if you must compare yourself with your friends, you need extra money to live up to the competition. “The main pressure on young people in Buea now is to make money, even the devil is scared…How can a young child still studying visit my shop and wants a Smart tv, I tell him FCFA 800,000, and he doesn’t argue about the price. I don’t even have a television set worth FCFA 300, 000 in my home as old as I am with the money I have. They visit my shop every day to either buy phones for their girlfriends or for themselves and mostly iPhones which we all know the price” Sammy Hilary Owner of an electronic shop bemoaned.
“A young man from Buea Molyko contacted me on TikTok and said he wanted me to help him get money and he can do anything to get money. I asked him if he can kill his mother and he said even right now he can, I almost passed out “George testified to a sister platform Beta Tinz
The pressure of owning a house, renting in hotels, sleeping in ultra-modern rooms, and riding big cars is driving many youths crazy “Young men and women just really want money at all costs even if it cost a life. I remember visiting my neighbor and noticed they live about 6 in an apartment of 2 rooms, he is the house owner and told me these young men wash his dresses, cook for him because he helps them in internet fraud, and they earn a living. I am asking why young people want so much money even their parents did not have and why the pressure to have properties they will die and leave. Buea is not a too good place for a young child and sometimes am scared that I have to send my kids to the universities here” a parent of three, Ankiah Magdalene wondered.
