A few months ago on X, a certain user tweeted about lending his friend 1,250,000 naira three years ago; with a promise to be repaid the same weekend when his salary drops. His friend failed to pay back the money at the said time. And he was sure the salary dropped, but his friend filled up his phone with stories instead of an alert. After 3 years, he called his friend to try and pay up his debt, but the X user told his friend he no longer owes him 1,250,000 but 3million naira instead, and if he doesn’t like it that way, he should keep the money and forget about paying him back. Hmmm……
I have an opinion on this, but it’s not really my business, so let’s tackle why we are here. My Grandma and her sister had an argument once about money, apparently; her sister borrowed 200,000 naira from her with a promise to pay back, but didn’t. Let’s be sincere, who really pays their sibling the money they owe them? Not my siblings and I though. Grandma would scream at the top of her esophagus “MONEY HAS ITS OWN SPIRIT”
MONEY HAS ITS OWN SPIRIT
Family and friends are better without having to lend them money, just be generous with them and not expect a payback. Let’s back it up a little, shall we? If your friend is struggling, it is only advisable to offer help if you are in the position to. That makes sense, right?
There’s a sour link between debts and relationships; they’ve never mixed well. Lots of relationships and friendships have kicked Geepee tanks because one person couldn’t pay back a loan, one has cheated the other, one is taking advantage of the other’s kindness or expectations that never made it to the limelight. Once money makes it to the center, things and relationships are bound to go sour.
After lending your cousin or friend of 20 years money, they suddenly become rich. Three months after lending them money they promised to pay back in two weeks, they become Instagram baddies and baddos without reaching out to you about their inability to pay back.
Lend your family and friends money you can let go. Last year, a friend of mine reached out to me and asked for 40,000 naira. This was the first time as we’ve only just become friends. I gave her 40,000 naira immediately and hoped she would pay back the next day. That was my last cash, and I really believed she would payback the next day as promised. The next day came and ended without her saying a word to me about repaying her debts. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and it’s over a year now.
I decided I would let go of the money, I didn’t ask her for it because there was absolutely no need to. I knew in my core that was the last time of coming through for her. Earlier this year, she called and asked for help again. I told her “shi shi no follow me like this gum body. I dey even look for who go give me 500 naira make I buy garri drink” she got angry and ended the call. That relationship is ruined, because I can only turn up for her if I want to, not because she would pay back.
To avoid conflict; never loan money you cannot let go. Help when you know you want and have to, not because they said they would pay back “next week”, trust me, majority of them, don’t pay back. They would even give you the title you never asked for. “VERY WICKED PERSON”.
IS MONEY THE PROBLEM?
It’s only right to help a friend or family who’s in a financial need. Turning a blind eye to their woes when you are in a good financial space is a sign that you are a horn away from turning into an actual devil.
Money is not the problem, as I quoted my Grandma earlier that “money has its own spirit”. Money changes people either for good or bad. It depends on what you make of it. It’s very fine to lend a friend money; I mean, if you have a good relationship with them, you can lend them money, or not; depends on you though. Let me paint a little picture on Integrity, come with me please.
My colleagues at work went for a meeting outside of the office a few days ago, for the sake of a better understanding, we’ll name them Ms. O, and Mr. T. Ms. O had nothing to eat before leaving the office and she didn’t have any money on her, she reached out to Mr. T and asked for 1500 naira; which she promised to pay back once they get to the office. Mr. T, reached out for his wallet in his back pocket and gave Ms. O 1500 naira. She bought groundnut and biscuits. On getting to the office, she quickly took out 1500 naira from her bag and gave it back to Mr. T. he was shocked. I asked why he was shocked, she clearly said she was going to pay back when we get to the office. He said he just gave her the money and didn’t think she would want to pay back 1500 naira, so he was not expecting the money.
Even though we know Mr. T was lying, come on Mr. T. you know you wanted your money back. Gentleman of the west. Anyways, that’s just my thought. But, Mr. T truthfully might not have looked forward to Ms. O paying back her debts. Why? He’s used to people borrowing and coming up with stories, especially if the amount in question is really small.
Money is not the problem, it’s the fact that 80% of Adam loins lack integrity. When it comes to money, my fellow earthlings lie a lot. There’s a situation where you ask someone to pay their debts and they get angry. Some might even kill you just because you want your money back. That’s why I am of the notion that, we should only lend money we can let go.
Its okay to call out someone who came crawling and begging for money. I for one don’t have money to give out. I am more on the begging side too, so if you come begging, I will in turn beg you as well. Lets all be beggars. Am I stingy? No am not… Do I have enough to lend out? If it’s 500 naira -1k, yes, I do. People exhibit behaviors that show how wicked they are. Some leverage on the fact that, you have a kind heart. Some even make it a routine to always beg you for money, the moment you tell them No, then you become their worse enemy. To my friends reading this, please lend me 300k, I will pay back December 2026.
Lets do well as humans to uphold integrity, mago mago lifestyle has never helped anyone, If Ms. O should ask Mr.T to lend her 200k,and he is buoyant enough to let such amount of money, he will gladly lend her the money, because she has shown him that, Integrity is her middle name. so, my sweet readers, make sure your Intergrity level is 100% and counting. Don’t give room for doubt. When it comes to money that you borrow from people, it’s only right you pay back on time or if you can’t pay back when you ought to, reach out to them and explain before they ask.
But wait o, you mean to tell me that inside this T-pain era, there are people lending 1-3 million naira to people without chest pain? Oh chim! I should cut down on my daily swiss roll, just maybe, I would be able to save and lend to someone as well. This is the point I take a bow, let me enter the streets of Lagos with kom kom. Bye…
