The day Mama Chinedu disappeared with our co-op savings

Two years ago I join this women cooperative for Agege Market. We dey save money together, plan to buy goods in bulk. Mama Chinedu be the chairlady. She get shop near the main gate, everybody respect am.

Every month I dey pay my dues. ₦5,000 here, ₦3,000 there. Sometimes I add extra when I sell well. After one year my savings reach ₦78,000. That money na my plan to restock my provision shop before Christmas.

One Monday morning I reach market and see crowd. People dey cry. Mama Chinedu don disappear with all our money. She carry everybody savings and travel. Nobody know where she go.

I swear that day my heart break. I dey think about my children, my shop, my husband who dey struggle with danfo. I just sit down for my shop and cry. But after three days I say I cannot let this thing kill me. I go to the police station, I gather other women, we start to look for her.

We find out say she go to Onitsha with her boyfriend. Police track am and bring am back. She return some of our money but not all. I get back ₦45,000 out of my ₦78,000. I lose the rest.

Now I no longer trust any cooperative. I keep my own savings myself. The lesson I learn be say sisterhood sweet but your money na your money. Nobody go cry for you when you lose am. 🙏