I almost lost my sister's school fees on a tokunbo gamble

Last month I put ₦4.2 million into a 2015 Toyota Corolla from Cotonou. The car looked clean, engine sounded sweet, the seller was smiling too much. My instinct said something was off but the profit margin was shouting at me. I paid cash, loaded it on the truck, headed to Aba.

By the time we reached the bridge at Asaba, the engine started knocking like a angry neighbour. My mechanic opened it and found the piston rings were finished, the gearbox was slipping, and somebody had used super glue to patch the radiator. That car was held together by prayers and lies. The repair quote was ₦1.8 million. That was my sister's school fees for the whole session.

I sat in my shop for two hours just staring at the wall. My sister called that evening asking if I could send her accommodation money. I told her yes without thinking. Then I went and sold my own personal phone, borrowed from my friend, and made a deal with the mechanic to pay in instalments. The car is still in the workshop. But my sister paid her fees.