“I didn’t think anybody would be so mean to play such trick on a child.
I think I was ten years old then and helped my sister to manage my mum’s shop anytime our mother goes to the market to buy goods.
I was the younger one but I knew the price of all items in my mum’s shop and I always rushed to attend to anyone who needed any item. Sometimes my sister and mum would leave the shop for me to manage while they go to the market to buy stuff for our shop. I have always done a good job at managing the shop till that day.
I watched him as he walked up and down the street many times. As a ten year old then, I was just curious to know why the guy kept going back and forth.
He finally stopped at my mum’s shop and told me he wanted to buy recharge cards worth ₦20,000. I was so happy. No one had ever bought such large amount of recharge card at once.
I imagined how happy my mum would be when she returns and finds out that I sold out all the recharge cards in our shop. So I went in and counted the recharge cards and wrapped them in nylon for the man.
I handed it over to the man and while counting it, he turned to greet some random stranger I couldn’t see and turned back again to face me. He searched his pocket for money and told me he forgot the money he was supposed to pay for the recharge cards, so I had to take back the cards. But he specifically told me not to open the nylon as he was just going to rush to his house and come back to collect it.
He pointed at one house down the street and I believed that was where he lived. When he didn’t return after more than two hours, I opened the nylon and found out they were filled with WHOT cards.
Back then, recharge cards had almost same size with WHOT cards and he used that to deceive me. He made away with the cards.
I cried till my mum and sister returned from the market and I told them what happened.
My mum consoled me and told me it was not my fault. That helped me to feel better.
It was a bitter experience but that taught me a lot and I never allowed it to happen again.”
They say experience is the best form of education. Learning from experience doesn't stop and one needs to keep acquiring it.