The "STAR BOYS" - Brand New Gang in Lagos

As I walked out of church today, I saw buses – commercial coaster buses – with smashed windows and wind screens. As I looked, I was certain that whoever smashed those windows intended to vandalise, not steal.

I walked closer and saw some men discussing. I saw another man trying to fix the window of one of the buses with his friend. They looked like drivers of the buses. I walked up to one of the men. He had a look of sadness and anger on his face. I asked him what happened. 

He told me – and let me try to get some of the exact words he used – “all these small boys….14, 15…18 year old boys….dem dey call themselves “STAR BOYS”…..dem fight here….around 2am…..like 200 boys….boys who dem parents still dey give food…..come dey break glass…..no be only buses oh…..one jeep and one car for front…..dem break all the glasses…..and that barbing salon wey dey there…dem break the glass finish…”.

Well. If what he said is accurate, I think we have a problem – a very serious problem.

I don’t want to go into the rhetoric of the problem of the youth and parents and media and violence and government and all the usual talk. It’s just blowing hot air.

What I want to say is this: If you have a young person in your area, boy or girl, who has any measure of respect for you; please try to be a mentor. Call him or her as often as time permits and ask how they are doing, give a word of advice or tell a life-changing story with some lessons. Do what you can to influence them positively.

Just do what you can. 

Peer pressure is getting stronger and it’s all about influence. I personally believe that if those boys were actually 200, less than 80 of them personally chose to come. The rest were ‘pushed’ to come, directly or indirectly

I urge you not to fold your hands and do nothing or just merely post on social media and just talk. DO something, especially if you stay in Lagos.

And let me tell you why.

Consider this: What if these kids actually get guns and come to rob homes. They’ll shoot without conscience, thought or pity. It would just be like shooting in a video game.

And worse – it could be my house – or maybe yours.

DO something.

I wish you GREATNESS.



Uchendu is a Speaker, Entrepreneur and Writer, who loves teaching young people. You can follow him on Twitter or Facebook or circle him on Google+.