Some educationists have cautioned against the rising cases of bullying at schools, warning that there is the need to stem the tide without further delay. They described bullying as a repeated, antisocial behaviour and a situation where the perpetrator acts aggressively on a victim, either through verbal or physical means. They said there are different phases of bullying, adding that there is the physical aspect, which is more prominent in society; emotional bully, which causes damage to the psyche and emotional well-being of victims; verbal bully, which involves making slanderous statements about the victim; cyber bully, which involves negative use of the Internet; and gender bully. They gave this piece of information while featuring on the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State radio station, FUNAAB Radio 89.5FM live interactive programme, Boiling Point.
According to Prof. Comfort Onifade of the Department of Communication and General Studies of FUNAAB, there were very few people, who had not experienced one form of bullying or another in the country, adding that to reverse the ugly trend, parent needed to make their home a peaceful place. Also, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Adams of FUNAAB Staff School said mothers should be observant to notice any changes in the behaviour of their children. “A child that has been doing well before, but you just discover that he/she suddenly changed; that child may be facing a form of bullying”, she stated. Meanwhile, the President, Safer Society Children Foundation, Comrade Kunle Sodipo, has admonished the government, parents, and religious leaders to focus on being proactive rather than embarking on reactive activities that make it difficult to stem bullying. “Teachers and lecturers are not magicians. The buck of the responsibility rests in the hands of parents and religious leaders. If we are to correct this, we should be serious about it”, he stated.