*******************PART 1*********************

My dear country people, Shebi na oyibo man talk say———-“be dressed as you want to be addressed” Okay! And as e be say, I don tire to be addressed as that poor and broke babe wey no get level. Una sister decided to switch things up oh. Abi na this Lagos? I must not carry last. This packaging life style no easy but, we go digger am. Some people call it, fake life…but na their matter be that. Because, I don notice say -For this Lagos, Fake or original no really matter.  Infact, it’s highly advised to FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!  All that matters is MONEY…..More MONEY…..and plenty more MONEY!

Yes, Oyibo man still talk am say—-money is the root of all evil, but no be for this EKO oh…. You see this lasgidi wey we dey so, people no dey only find the root but the branches, the stem and the leaves join. In other words, MMM is the code. (Money must be made) Abeg make I introduce myself first…and make we for no loss, make we start from d very beginning…

My name na Arike Bidemi. And this na my story…. Na Lagos here dem born me put…..na Lagos here I grow. Forget all this pidgin oh….I be very correct brilliant girl for my school days that year but now, wey I don grow? Book don run leave me! Book is far from me. No be my fault. Government sack my papa from work without pension or gratuity! Nothing nothing! Na so the man engage with sapa so teyyyy even my mama no fit share her husband with sapa again. She carry bag, carry her children run leave my papa.

To cut the long story short, my papa later kick bucket base on loneliness and depression. E pain me oh….. but, life continues.

As my mama no fit afford private school na public I see body put. After my waec. I no even bother to write jamb. No be say I no no book. My mama no go fit afford am. I know say if she get, she for do. But as she no come get nko? I go kill myself???

Besides, school or no school. I believe who go make am. Go make am. Whether I go make am. Na God hand e dey. Cos like this so, my life get comma.  I no no who send me work oh. I no just understand who send me message. Na so I carry my two left leg go tailor shop. Say, I wan learn sewing. Hmmm, poverty na really sickness.

That day, I arrange my self wella. I go do enquires. She knack me bill. I tell my mama. In space of 2 weeks. My mama raise that money give me. Na him I rush go oh the training money. Incase you wan know, my mama na road side pepper, ugu, tomato and onions. The madam head tie no dey ever commot for her head. Her skirt no be here. Lie! Lie! If he never touch her ankle then no be she get am. Her blouse, constantly shapeless. Na top and gown wey no be her size na him she Dey wear.  KONK DEEPER LIFE!

This woman nearly wound us all with daily TOUGH REVIVAL…She say na Devotion but Omo, this on pass devotion. Ordinary simple prayer to start the day, my madam go begin kabash for hours. Then, she go enter prophesy. She no dey ever see better thing for anybody head. Na so so bad bad thing Dey come her vision. Make I leave that matter she and her God. I no get energy for spiritual things. Abeg.

The one wey dey vex me most. Na after like 2 weeks wey I just start work. This woman look me finish, turn me to maid stroke Nancy stroke washer. I be one challenge her but when I see say all her girls dey do all this errands. I follow do am. We dey take turns to go pick her kids from school. We dey take turns to wash her family used clothes. We dey take turns to go clean her house.

One day, Na so this my madam send me go market make I go buy soup ingredients…make I still carry am go cook for her house. Hmmm. Like for real? Okay oh. As an obedient Omo isé I obey. I go market. I buy everything. As I reach her house. They arrange everything for her kitchen. Na so her husband waka enter, begging toast me. The name na really Fine handsome man. And e come get money but my conscience no gree carry am. This man beg me tire. Before I know it, he begin use money entice me. Chai… my people…money strong oh. I still try to hold my self from this temptation. At least my fear of God still Dey work.

Since that day this man see me for my madam kitchen..he no let me rest. Sometimes in the evening, this man go drive come wait me for road wey lead to my house. Offer to drop me home. Buy me ice cream and pizza, chocolate, cookies…orishi rishi gifts. Na so I come Dey enjoy like rich man pikin. Who no like better thing?? But.. even ontop all this things. I still dey tell him NO. Uncle no gree give up on…. infact, he applied more pressure.

E get one of my friend wey I tell about this matter. In search of advise oh. She no even wait make I land. As she hear say d man dey give me money and goodies steadily. Anty say make I agree for an sharp sharp before another person go snatch am from my hand. I shock! Abeg Shey dem fit snatch wetin no be my own? Person husband??? No my madam self suppose dey worry about losing her husband??? Wetin be my own? Ha.. my friend na werey before sha…so I no too dey surprise. She sha dey give me plenty reasons why I should date him. Like he fit open my own tailor workshop for me. He fit sponsor me back to school. He fit buy me new phone. True true I need better phone. Cos since dem thief my Android phone, na this tecno torch light kpalasa. I dey use.

If I dey work, if I dey house, na this him matter I go dey think. Whether make I gree or not. I no fit concentrate on anything again. So tey, one afternoon for workshop…i go cut material wey I suppose use for wrapper as skirt. My madam shout! Punish me under hot sun. Still tell me say na me go buy new material for that customer… ah! This life sha…. If only she knew say na her husband be the cause of my distraction. Anyway, no be say I fit open mouth talk out wetin dey worry me.

As for the wrapper money. Na her husband still give me money I take replace am. He saw me moody that evening… i never even finish to narrate wetin Shelle for workshop becos of him…he just count better money give me. I even get extra change on top. Hmmm. Oyibo wey man talk say…..money solves all problems. Suppose collect award bcos…..na true oh!

                 TO BE CONTINUED…….