The night I almost joined a cult because of ₦20k

Second year, 200L. My account balance was ₦340. Feeding money for the week. Then one guy from my faculty, tall guy, fine clothes, called me to the back of the lecture hall and said join us, ₦20,000 every month, plus protection, plus connections after school. I won't lie, I sat there calculating. ₦20k is eight days of food at my rate.

He gave me one week to decide. I didn't sleep that night. The thing is, I knew two boys from my village who joined something like that. One dropped out. The other one, we don't talk about him. But hunger will make you reason like a mad person. I even rehearsed what I would tell my mother if she asked where the money was coming from.

The day I was supposed to give him my answer, my mother called me that morning. Just to say she sold two crates of eggs to send me ₦5,000. I cried small after the call. I told the guy no. He looked at me like I was stupid. I still greet him when I see him on campus.

Some doors you don't open, not because you're holy, but because you know what's behind them.