Emeka stood by the window watching the heavy, tropical rainstorm pour down as he waited in Chief’s living room. It had been three months since he started the savings plans and the results had been impressive. He had seen figures in his bank account that were very unusual for month end.
“Wawu, 60k in savings? Me that used to run from Mama Iyabo because of 15k? he thought to himself in wonderment. The evening sky lit up as lightening flashed, followed by a clap of thunder. Mama Iyabo, despite all her gra-gra, had been the most understanding of all his creditors when he tried to explain his repayment plan. The dry cleaners promptly seized his clothes so Emeka had no choice but to hand wash and wear the same three shirts and two pairs of trousers repeatedly. This is what he should have done earlier, rather than incurring debts all along. The world had not ended when he started repeating clothes. Of all his creditors, Hashiru the suya seller had been the worst.
“I are tink I stufid, kwo?” Hashiru shouted when Emeka suggested the repayment plan “Kai, walahi!!”
Emeka did not wait to hear the rest, picking to his heels as Hashiru brandished his deadly looking suya knife at his fast retreating backside.
“Chei, a whole shakara bloke like me?” Emeka thought to himself ruefully as he remembered the speed he used to get out of there. “To owe and no fit pay, na bad ting”
Indeed mismanagement of his finances had brought him shame but he could feel that he was on the right track, working his way out of the mess.
Chief’s quiet entrance into the room brought Emeka’s mind back to the present and the two men sat down.
“So how is the savings plan coming?” Chief asked Emeka with a broad smile.
Emeka leaned forward in his chair and replied with an equally broad smile “I am pleasantly surprised at my current bank balance”
“Good”, said Chief, his smile broadening the more. “You are on your way to wealth. Trust the process and be patient with it. It is like a marriage. You can’t cheat on it and expect it to work”
Emeka then proceeded to tell Chief about the treatment he had gotten from his creditors. Chief listened carefully, nodding his head.
“You broke their trust” Chief replied plainly “You will have to show consistency and commitment to following the plan to win it back. You might not succeed in winning back their trust but it is important that you show strength of character and buy back your freedom”
Chief turned to look out the window, into the pouring rain and repeated quietly “Buy back your freedom.”
If I said I didn’t learn anything, I lie.
Thank you very much for so great content sir.
Please can I share this post on my Facebook page and link it to your website?
Very glad to hear that it was useful to you.
Feel free to share, just credit the source and link the website like you already mentioned. All the best.
A man I respect so much shared your post and requested we read it.
I would have ignored tho but I felt it was important that I read it.
The article is eye opening, you were able to pin point the effects of debts and highlight a way out which is savings but you didn’t give us solutions for that. Example, stating a way(s) we can save it even platforms in which we can be able to save.
Yes, it will be much work for you in the aspect of research but I believe it will also intrigue faithful readers who carefully read to the very end.
Thank you for the opportunity to write a feedback, I will love to read more.
Thanks alot for the Feedback
This is very lovely. Financial education from a story. Thanks.
Thanks to Gabriel for sharing it with us too.
Thank you!
Nice series…You should really get the writeups going…Reminds me of Arese’s book with the story telling
Much appreciated
Bro Gab Omin brought me here. Very insightful. Thank you
Thank you for your kind words. Feel free to share to others.
Lovely piece!
And so instructive.
Gabriel Omin referred me here and now, I’m so thankful I came.
Glad to hear it was useful to you. Thanks.
This is a beautiful summary of the Richest man in Babylon, I really love this as it brought the lesson down to Nigeria. Thank you Chair for this piece, even though I wanted more, as it captivated my morning.
God bless you Me Omin for this, thank you
Thank you for your kind words 🙏🏾