I grew up with having coloured tv in our house. The tv was placed on a furniture in one corner of our sitting room. Back then, we didn’t even have DSTV or GOTV. Instead, we relied on our trusty DVD player. The dvd player was connected to the tv so if we wanted to watch something, we will just go over to the local shops to buy Dvd/CDs, come home to put it into the DVD player and start watching movies or even listen to music. Although, sometimes my mum do get them for us on her way back from work.
In our sitting room , we had a small collection of CDs and DVDs which we kept under the shelf but then they were just sometimes that they become very annoying. Most especially in those days, where we had to clean the back with a dry cloth and do everything just to make the dvd work perfectly and as you insert into the dvd player they just begin to crack and the movie becomes interrupted.
We were basically five children in the family – three boys and two girls . The boys, including me, loved watching action movies, while the girls often preferred romantic or girly films. But honestly, whenever mum joined us, it was Yoruba movies all the way. I was the last child, but then I loved watching movies like mad, toofan, ben 10 and power rangers. There was something magical about them – the songs, the drama, and the action just drew me in. I loved them so much that sometimes I would visit friends in the neighborhood just to watch those movies at their houses. It didn’t matter if I’d already seen them before. I just preferred it more when i watch those movies with them.
Now, what I really loved about those times was the way movies brought us together. We’d sit down in the sitting room, laughing at funny scenes, teasing each other, or getting into debates about what would happen next. Those moments felt so interesting and full of life. They were more about us being a family, sharing laughter, and making memories.
We actually didn't really make use of the remote then. Most times if we needed to pause , skip or fast forward anything, we would just walk over to the DVD player and press the buttons. It was simple, and it worked. Nobody argued about who has to hold the remote or freaked out if it went missing. The only disagreement we frequently had was basically about what to watch.
Things have become so different now. We have the dstv and a big plasma tv but we no longer subscribe for the DSTV or even watch the Tv anymore. Everyone now has their own phone or laptop, and we just stream whatever we want individually. It’s convenient, but it’s not just the same and even though i wouldn't want to go back to those moments, I actually still miss them. They literally made childhood more special, memorable and fun.