Interview: Then and Now

Don't get tired of reading about my country just yet. I promise after this I have just one more article to drop about my dear country. In order not to bore you, I promise to try make this interesting and worth your time.

So I got tag by @Princessbusayo to this piece two days ago and I promise to drop mine. Here it is guys.

How was Nigeria back then vs Now?

Let me explain it this way, back then our parents tell us how good things were when they were younger. We listened to the folktale and wonder how true it was. But I hate to tell you that we also have lots of stories to tell our kids.

I can remember how I'd come back from school and mum will hand over N50 to every single one of us to get lunch, which we will do and still have extra for snacks. Today N50 can't buy Bottle water. The Economy crisis isn't the only thing that differentiates Nigeria of then to Nigeria of today. The issues of insecurities wasn't that rampant. We do stay outside listening to stories late until around 11 pm but now by 8 pm, you will see the whole street quiet. I hope someday we won't end up telling our kids how things were better doing our time compared to how it is in their own time. I pray for a better Nigeria.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MONEY EXPERIENCE?

It will surely be when mum or Dad hand a N5 note to me to get snacks for myself or maybe when visitors give me and my siblings a little token as a gift.

To be more specific, I will say my first experience was when I was 7, 8 or 9 and mum got a wooden piggy bank. I saved every single penny I had, even starved myself just to have more in my piggy bank than my sibling and get the best Christmas cloth. The piggybank was broken at the beginning of December and I got the desired clothing- A knicker burger.

WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU EARNED MONEY?

Started earning money at a tender age, though most weren't on a job per se. I'd offer to do the laundry for my brother for as low as N20 or run errands, all to get something into my piggy bank.

However, the notable and first job I went on was when I was in Primary 5. About 9years of age. I heard a mason man was looking for who to help him pick broken blocks to fill each course laid. I offered to help and it was a nice experience on the first day, he bought food for me and offered to pay me. The next day was completely different from the first. The man used me as if I were a labourer being paid a huge amount of money. It was intense labour, I mixed the concrete mix while he sat down. Due to my size, I couldn't mix it well so he asked me to do it in batches. Going home was not an option since the place was far. We worked till around 8 pm. At this time I couldn't take it any longer. My arms and legs were shaking, that was when he asked me to stop working.

To summarise the story, he paid me an amount I knew was ridiculous even at the age I was back then. The money was spent on hospital bills. I'm sure you're asking "This is child abuse. What were your parents doing?". They never got to know, I hide it from them and said it was just to pick few stones. I can never forget that experience.

HOW HAS THE VALUE OF MONEY CHANGED OVER TIME?

To the Nigerians reading this, I'm sure you know the song "omo abule showo" by Olamide. In it, he said "Young presido bi ti Idiagbon ". Have you ever wondered why?. Idiagbon was never the president of our country, instead, he was the deputy to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, but Olamide called him the president.

The day my Dad heard this song, he said Olamide knows what he is saying. Though Idiagbon was the deputy back then, he was the one ruling. He took all the major decisions and was feared by all. There was discipline in the country, our Naira had more value than Dollar. You can research this. He started the kick against indiscipline scheme (KAI) which we now use to tell someone to stop doing something. Our economy was the envy of most nations around the world. The Ghanaians trooped in until we asked them to leave.

While he (Idiagbon) was out of the country, a coup was carried out and the president was removed from office. He was later assassinated. So you see why most of the old ones supported a particular person during the 2015 Elections, they believe since his first tenure was good, he is the right person for the job but we have no Idiagbon again. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.

Gen. Babangida came in and destroyed the value of the naira. That was the genesis of the problem we have in the country today. The dollar now has more value than naira. $1 is now N560.

I can't say I experienced all these since I wasn't yet on earth when it all happened. But what N10,000 will get you today is what N 3,000 will get you about 10 years ago.

FIRST THING I SAVED FOR

It's either a Barcelona Jersey with Ronaldinho written on it or the knicker burger I mentioned earlier. I fell in love with football at a very young age though I know next to nothing about club football, especially the Europeans'.

Then came the 2006 UCL final, little valour was supporting his uncle's club (Arsenal) and shouting "Igwe" anytime Thierry Henry's leg touches the ball. But there was a wizard on the field that day who changed his mind. And his name is Ronaldinho Gaucho. So passionate was Valour that he did his best to get his Jersey and he did.

SIDE NOTE

I better drop my pen or in this case- rest my keyboard for now. Till tomorrow when I come with another article- Bye byeeeee!

Thanks for Reading HappyPeople!🇳🇬💚👶