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April Fools’ Day pranks you should never try

By Musa Adekunle

01 April 2025   |   1:41 pm

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Some jokes are better left untold, especially on April Fools’ Day. Every year on April 1st, people all over the world try to pull off funny tricks to get a laugh. But while the goal is to make others smile, some pranks can go from funny to foolish in seconds. Here, where emotions run deep…

Some jokes are better left untold, especially on April Fools’ Day.

Every year on April 1st, people all over the world try to pull off funny tricks to get a laugh. But while the goal is to make others smile, some pranks can go from funny to foolish in seconds.

Here, where emotions run deep and respect matters, the wrong joke can land you in hot soup, with friends, family, or even the law.

In different reports monitored on Monday, April 1, many people online have started warning pranksters to tread carefully. A viral post quoted a concerned social media user saying, “Don’t be the reason someone cries over nothing. It’s not every joke that’s funny.”

In that spirit, Guardain Life brings you the Top 5 pranks to avoid this April Fools’ Day if you value your peace, friendships, and future.

1. “Mummy, I’m in the hospital”

This one tops the list for a reason. Pretending someone is hurt, missing, or even dead may sound like a “big reveal” to you, but for others, it’s trauma in disguise. Parents have fainted. Friends have panicked. And relationships have ended because of this one prank.

Once you hear someone scream or cry, that joke isn’t funny anymore, it’s wicked. If it could give your mum high blood pressure or send your friend into anxiety, leave it alone.

2. Sending fake resignation letters

Quitting your job “for fun” is not the flex you think it is. Some people have lost their jobs for less. Imagine your HR reading that email, forwarding it to the MD, and then discovering it was “just vibes and cruise.” That’s how suspension enters the group chat.
Unless you’re ready to sit at home jobless, avoid this prank completely, especially in this economy.

READ ALSO: Pandemic Pranks Off The Table On April Fools’ Day

3. Posting fake pregnancy announcements

You see that soft baby bump caption with “Coming Soon”? Yeah, don’t do it. For people dealing with fertility struggles, miscarriages, or family pressure, it’s not funny, it’s triggering.

This joke might rake in likes online, but the damage offline is real. If the reaction you want is shock, maybe find another route that won’t come off as insensitive.

4. Tampering with someone’s food or drink

Pouring extra pepper, switching salt with sugar, or spiking a drink with something odd might sound harmless until someone ends up in the hospital. What if they have allergies? What if they choke?

Even if nothing goes wrong, nobody likes you playing with their food. That’s sacred ground in every Nigerian household. Respect it.

5. The breakup prank

Telling your partner, “It’s over,” only to laugh and say, “April Fools!” is a recipe for emotional disaster. You may think it’s harmless, but you’re playing with someone’s heart, and that’s not cute.

This kind of stunt breaks trust. And once broken, trust is hard to glue back.

A good joke should make everyone laugh, not leave someone hurt, embarrassed, or in tears. April Fools’ Day is about harmless fun, not cruelty disguised as comedy. Before you pull that prank, ask yourself: If it were done to me, would I laugh?

If the answer is no, don’t try it. Stay clever. Stay kind. And this April 1st, make sure your joke doesn’t turn into a regret.