Good morning dear friends. It was a very busy season for me last week and I couldn't even put up an article for over four days. But here I am now to bring to your tables something that will begin the week with so much fun and laughter.
During those busy days, I met quite a few people and we got to discuss many issues concerning the state of our nation, the economy, and survival instincts. But there was this particular guy I met named Theo (real name withheld). He described how life has treated him. He had witnessed the good, bad, and ugly times.
A few weeks after his one-year compulsory service to the nation as a graduate, he called one of his cousins who had lived in Lagos for quite a while that he would like to pursue his dream of working at a bank in the city. Without much ado, his uncle agreed and he started to prepare to relocate to Lagos.
Theo was elated because he would be relocating to Lagos from a typical village life. He was in high spirits. He washed his clothes and ironed them. His motive was to hit the streets to search for a banking job and as such he wanted to appear all corporate and neat. As part of his preparations, he bought some local stuff like dried fish, locust beans, palm oil, and whatnot because he knew those items may not be in Lagos or could be expensive.
On the set day, he woke up early and bid farewell to Mukoro village. Lagos was going to open opportunities for him, he thought. At least, there had been a lot of testimonies of folks like him who came to Lagos and got a breakthrough.
Theo put a call across to his cousin who works as a security guard at a fast food restaurant. Each time he came to the village, he appeared like one who was the manager of an international company.
Now, Theo was stranded. He had to wait at the bus stop till around 6:30 p.m. when his cause would return from work. In the meantime, all he could do was watch moving vehicles and people who were returning from work. But the most exciting but worrisome scene was that of the notorious Lagos Agbero who extorted the commercial bus drivers.
Soon, he reunited with his cousin. It was an affectionate sight as they hugged each other tightly.
Welcome to Lagos, the land of many opportunities.
They chatted as they trekked back home. Soon, they arrived at his cousin's abode only to discover that he was squatting. Ten other guys were squatting in the two-room apartment. Theo never envisaged this.
That evening, a fight broke out between two of the squatters, Emma and Ade. Emma accused Ade of using his bathing soap and toothpaste without his consent. The guy who rented the apartment, Mike, got bitter and sent them packing. This first impression shocked Theo. In his mind, he was just saying:
Life in Lagos isn't how it appears!
His cousin introduced him to Mike and other guys. He was welcomed. Theo and his cousin moved out to get something to eat.
Chidi, is this how you guys live in Lagos?
Chidi looked at him and said:
You should be grateful that you even have a roof over your head.
Theo sighed:
Hmm!
He was beginning to think that life in the village may be crude but it was comfortable.
Chidi had to school him to behave himself in the apartment or he would be thrown out like Ade and Emma. He warned him of the danger of pork-nosing in other people's affairs. He was to mind his own business and not get in other people's business both at home and in the streets.
Theo adopted a method to avoid being evicted from the apartment. He would just wake up early in the morning and begin to mop the floor. At times, he would boil water for no reason. He just wanted to be useful.
In a short while, he became very relevant in the house. He does all the house chores and gets the admiration of Mike.
The young man got favour from everyone in the house because of his simplicity. They paid him to wash their clothes and get them ironed. He would also cook and get paid.
Theo hunted for his dream job but none was forthcoming. From the money he made, he started a laundry business and became very popular in the area. Two years later, he owned a number of laundry shops in Lagos and became an employer of Lagos.
Though his dream of becoming a banker never came through, he made huge success in his laundry business. Each time he looked back to remember how he does those house chores without anyone asking him to, he laughed.
Tough times don't last, tough people do.