The day my phone business taught me about village people

Last week Tuesday, I was in Onitsha doing my usual round at the electronics market. Business was slow, the naira dey do us strong thing. I had just finished negotiating for a batch of Samsung A-series when my phone rang. My younger sister from UNN.

She said, "Kola, the school fee deadline is Friday. If I don't pay, they won't let me write exams." Chai. I had already sent her money for first semester, but the school increased fees mid-session. Standard Nigerian plot twist. I calculated in my head , I had about ₦1.2m tied up in stock, cash flow was tight. My profit margin on those Samsungs was slim, like 8%. I could either liquidate at a loss or ask her to wait for the next batch to sell.

I told her I would handle it. Sold three phones at cost price to a guy I know from Berger. Lost potential profit of about ₦45,000. But my sister will write her exams. See my brother, this life no be about the money you keep. Na about the people you carry along. God is involved, the profit will come back another way. How many of us dey sacrifice for our own people and still smile?