The day Mama Ngozi borrowed my savings and vanished

Two years ago, my friend Mama Ngozi wey dey sell by my shop come beg me for money. She say she wan expand her shop, say business dey good. I trust am because we don know each other for years, she dey come my shop for gist every evening. I lend am one hundred and fifty thousand naira. She promise say she go pay me back for six months, with interest even. I say, no problem, na my friend.

For the first two months, she dey pay small small. Then she start to dey avoid me. One day, I go her shop, I see say e don lock. I call her phone, e no dey go through. I ask people for market, dem say she pack her things for night, she flee go Onitsha. I couldn't believe am. My money wey I dey save for my children school fees, e don vanish.

I cried that night. Not because of the money, but because of the betrayal. My husband say make I report am to police, but na so so wahala. I just accept am as lesson. Since that day, I no dey lend money to anybody, no matter how close. My own be say, friendship and money no dey mix, e dey end in tears. God know say I forgive am, but I no go forget.