I was duped but my mom was the best.

My mom was a trader and involves in so many menial Jobs. She was a strong woman and I admired her so much. She wasn't dull at all, whatsoever business she sees, she jumps into it and thank God she was always successful in it.

My mom started the business of selling big containers, drums used at the party or at home for water. She would always go to their company in Lagos and order many of them. Sometimes, she will use truck to bring in more than 100 drums and there was massive gains. Within a week, my mom would sell everything.

I was in school then and we were on holidays, I decided to pay my parents a visit and it was also during the Redeemed Christian Church of God convention around August in year 2013. I love to handle my mom's shop then. I was always happy making sales everytime I come home and she was always happy with that.

One Saturday, she went to the company as usual and handed me the shop to take care. She gave me the whole recharge cards she bought the previous day worth 50k ($100) and left some amount of money there as change for me incase I needed to give out change to customers.

We use our Dad's car to sell bread on the road as we believe people are more attracted to bread in the car and it moves faster than putting it on a table to sell.

I was sitting down beside the car selling when a guy came to buy bread. He was hastening me to answer him immediately. I was so devastated and confused at that moment because according to him, he would miss the bus he was in and I don't want such to happen and I also needed to be fast to attend to him

He bought bread and recharge card. Perhaps he saw the much recharge card when I brought it out to give him his own. I gave everything to him and wanted to give him change.

I didn't know when I dropped the bag containing the recharge cards and money inside the booth to go look for change. When I came back, he was gone. I thought he left the change for me and I was happy I gained something.

I totally forgot the bag and was sitting and counting the numbers of cars and bike moving on the road when a man came to purchase a recharge card

I started searching for the bag. Sweat came rolling down my face, I was shaking and confused. The man noticed me and asked what was wrong. I told him I couldn't find my bag again and I won't be able to sell him the card.

He went away. I ran into our shop to see if I kept it there, I couldn't find it. There was one woman selling engine oil beside our shop and she asked what happened, that was when tears came rolling down and I explained everything to her.

She felt emotional and saw me crying and wailing on the floor. Recharge cards worth $100 with other money in it. What do I tell my mom? Where would she see the money to get them again? Our capital and profit are gone. How do I do it?

I was still crying when my Dad came. I couldn't reply him but the woman told him what happened. Instead of my Dad to show empathy or concern, he started blaming me and saying all manners of words to me. I couldn't blame that man because he was drunk. They started pleading with my Dad to stop blaming me that it wasn't my fault. It can happen to anyone. I was duped.

After a while, he stopped and was with me in the shop. I didn't even mind him because I was so angry with him that day.

Few hours later, my mom returned. Fear gripped me again, the woman was looking at me and signaling to me to calm down.

The truck offloaded all the drums while my mom was busy calculating the money to give to them.

"I want to buy recharge card" a customer said. I was helping them bring down the drums and pretended I didn't hear them. I and the woman looked at each other and she felt pity for me. She knew I couldn't tell my mom. "I want to buy recharge card" the customer said again.

"Busayo, answer her now" my mom retorted.

It was then the woman called my mom to a close place and explained everything to her. My Dad was watching everything and couldn't talk again.

The next thing was my mom putting her hands on her head and was like "Ha, Busayo you have killed me. Owo olowo (meaning she borrowed the money from someone) and now everything is gone.

She came to me, locked up my dress and was shouting that I have killed her. I bursted into tears again while people were rushing to her to leave me alone.

I knew I won't be able to go back to school with any money. The convention started the following Monday and we already resumed. I couldn't go but decided to assist my mom to sell during that programme

There were many people who came for the convention. People from different states and countries. The road was blocked, there were traffic. In fact pedestrians were hooked on the road and all traders were selling massively.

Business men and women don't joke with days like this because there would be a lot of gains and market would keep blooming. For five nights, I didn't sleep but was selling all through the night. I only slept for some hours in the afternoons and would wake up immediately I remembered I was duped and I must help my mom during this program.

On the last day of the convention, my mom made serious gains. I saw it on her face, she was so happy. She recovered everything including the money I was duped off.

She said to me one morning after the convention "Busayo, go and take your bath and go and cook this special meal. Don't worry about what happened. You really tried for me this period". I looked at my mom and tears came down. What a mother indeed.

(Don't mind me, I am crying typing this) seriously, I miss her.

I went back to school with doubled pocket money. My mom made great sales during that moment. I knew God came in for her through what happened and she never used that against me.

I knew right there that my mom was the best mother. Whenever I remember such incidence, I would cry but smile later when I understand the true love of a mother to her daughter.

Thank you for reading. I hope this day become great for us all.

|August 03, 2021|