I told my sister I'd pay her school fees, then my salary disappeared for three months

Two years ago, my father's business finally collapsed. Not dramatically, just quietly like most things in this country. One day he was supplying office furniture, the next day his warehouse was empty and creditors were calling.

My younger sister Tolu was supposed to start her second year at UNILAG. She called me, voice shaking, asking what to do. I told her not to worry, that I would handle it. I had just started a remote role with a US startup, earning in dollars. The numbers looked good on paper.

Then the startup missed payroll. First month, they said cash flow issues. Second month, they said wire delays. Third month, I was eating indomie and praying my landlord wouldn't knock.

I had to call Tolu and tell her I couldn't do it. Not immediately anyway. She didn't cry on the phone. She just said "it's okay, Jide" in that voice that means it's not okay at all. I heard her sniff once before she hung up.

She ended up deferring for a year. Worked at a phone accessory shop in Yaba. When I finally got paid, I cleared her fees plus arrears. But that phone call still sits inside me. I promised something I couldn't control. That's the thing about earning in dollars and living in Lagos, you're never as stable as your bank balance suggests.