The other day I went to the market to get some food. I was running out of cash so this was an emergency shopping (operation safe Nonso's stomach). One of the perks of living alone away from your family is that you have to take care of your nutrition. I hate that.
Anyways, I was in the market trying to be the best mathematician/budgeter, trying out different combinations/permutations on how to use my very scarce source which was about five those naira ( approximately $10) so I don't go hungry for the next few days. It had been a tough week for me financially and I was just trying to cut down costs (like the minimalist I am)
Lo and behold a young able-bodied man walked up to me in the market, asking for money. He did not look bad at all. I looked more like the beggar between both of us, to be honest.
By default, I told him I did not have any money to spare, I was in the reds myself. Then he proceeded to ask that I buy him food, which I declined.
"I don't have much to spare," I said. He did not believe me (or maybe he chose to be obtuse) because he saw the last 1000 naira note dangling in my pocket. He persisted for another minute which got me pissed and I started raising my voice. This was the point he knew I was not going to enable him. This is one of the many ordeals I have had to face recently.
EVERYONE THINKS I AM RICH
Since I purchased my vehicle I have started getting this weird treatment from people everywhere I go. From the parking lot assistant to the security personnel, everybody wants money from me. It has become extremely uncomfortable for me.
The other day I was in traffic and a couple of guys approached me. They are known as agberos (street thugs). Their usual tactic is to shower you with praises. Fortunately, I do not understand Yoruba, the native language of Ibadan so I was not cajoled. Usually when this tact fails they resort to force. I have heard several incidents of people being robbed in traffic. Fortunately, these thugs that approached me were friendly and I promised to give them some money when I pass that route again. My excuse was that I did not have cash. However, some of these people go the extra mile of asking for transfers.
The other day at an eatery I visit occasionally, the security personnel in their usual fashion asked me for money when I was leaving their premises. They do this every time I buy things there ( I am probably going to report to the manager the next time I visit. That's if he is not enabled by this begging culture himself). Sadly, the people who even render me service don't ask for tips but the supposed security personnel who barely does anything always ask for money. This said man dared to ask that I transfer some money to him after I told him I did not have cash. Why should I give you money for just existing? I am online every day bursting my arse so I can earn a living, even at the risk of being tagged an abuser (like someone did recently) and you think I would give up my hard-earned money for nothing.
The narrative amongst these people is that most young Nigerian men are fraudsters and they have a lot of money to squander if you massage their ego properly and as a young Nigerian who isn't doing a 9-5 job driving a decent car (which is pretty old) I fit that stereotype. So everybody wants money from me, some are willing to go the extra mile to get it.
The last story I am going to share happened in traffic. A street beggar approached my car and by default, I signalled to her that I did not have money to give, but she wasn't going to take no for an answer. This said lady jumped in front of my vehicle right about when I wanted to move. I am not making this thing up. I was bewildered. I am a learner, barely two months driving with my learners' permit. I would have knocked that woman off the road and they would have lynched me.
**Headline: A Young Yahoo Boy kills a Helpless Beggar at Bodija Road. **
I guarantee that no one would listen to my side of the story. Ibadan is notorious for lynching motorists and burning their cars. I would have been another casualty if I had knocked that woman who refused to take 'no' for an answer. This was one of the most traumatic experiences I have had in this city.
I have little or no empathy for able-bodied men and women who beg and I have chosen not to enable them (well except there is a potential risk in the case of street thugs). Begging has become a lucrative business in the South and if we do not change our attitude towards street and cooperate begging this menace will become part of our culture.