The day my phone shop almost killed my sister's school fees

Last month I got a call from my sister's HOD at UNN. She say my sister's fees for second semester still dey outstanding, and if we no pay before Friday, she go miss her exams. My sister never tell me anything. She knew I had just sunk all my capital into a container of refurbished Samsung phones.

See my brother, I had calculated everything. The profit margin was sweet. I was supposed to clear those phones, sell within two weeks, and have money left over. But the container sat at the port for three extra weeks. Dem dey demand one bribe after another. My working capital dried up. I couldn't even open my shop because I had no stock to sell. I was waking up at 4am every day just to go and beg the clearing agents.

On Thursday night, I sat down in my room and counted my remaining cash. It was exactly ₦185,000. School fees was ₦350,000. I looked at my phone, looked at the stack of notes. Then I called my sister. I told her, 'Pack your things. I am coming to pick you. We go sort this out.' I sold my own phone, my laptop, and two display cabinets. I raised the money. She wrote her exams. I am still using a Nokia torchlight phone till today. When she graduates, I will tell her the full story. But for now, she just knows her brother came through.