Paheja Siririka

Following hot on the heels of the milk crate challenge, lo and behold, this week we witnessed the emergence and steady growth of the scholarship prank. With over a million views on various social media sites, peeps record themselves, pranking their parent/s, grandparent/s or aunt/s and uncle/s with the fake reason of applying for a scholarship, worth about US$50 000 and then having to provide reasons as to why they deserve the grant.

The juicy part is when the individual then narrates a story of how their parent/s inspire them. The story soon turns into a web of lies. The most shared fib used is that their parent was an escort or pimp to feed their family.

One person said: “My grandmother inspires me because she worked hard to be a provider; she did many jobs, including being a prostitute to feed our family”. The aim of these videos is to see the reactions of the ones being pranked – and 100% of the time, those being tricked are visibly shocked beyond measure.  

Some react by vehemently denying such assertions, others snap and go on to inflict beatings on the supposed scholarship applicants. Moreover, the profanity used by some traumatised victims – as hilarious as it is, makes some viewers cringe. 

A few parents went along with the false information being recorded, which is funny too.

Local news anchor Roux-Che Locke also got onto the bandwagon and pranked her aunt while on a family trip in Cape Town recently.

“Aunty Maggy is now 78 years old and she used to play softball and did odd jobs like selling her body. You were a prostitute, right aunty,” said Locke, followed quickly by Aunty Maggy fervently rebutting such claims.

The comments on the videos also make for pleasant entertainment. 

Abigail Katjimune posted: “Lag ek nou lekker. Wahaaaaaaa uit gevang”.

Juanita Dunarr commented: “Excuse me, ek wietie van dai nie, dais n kak storie, netso my tante”. 

 Operi Tjipuka said: “I am still stuck on her beauty and that 78 doesn’t even look like 78. Roux-che, I love her calmness”. 

Several other Namibians have joined this prank, knowing how some African parents react when associated with such despicable actions. 

- psiririka@nepc.com.na