Money, Pressure, and Survival

It is important that we take our financial lives seriously. As the saying goes, “money answereth all things.” This is true because there is nothing one wants to do that does not require finances—be it education, social life, or even spiritual life. There is absolutely nothing you can do without funds or financial support. This is the reason why we should not be emotional about money matters. It is good to give, but it must be done moderately and within our power and reach. As the Bible says, love your neighbour as yourself, not more than yourself.

In a situation where someone tries to blackmail you emotionally, wisdom is required. I was actually talking to a friend in the UK who told me about the many messages she receives daily requesting financial assistance. It seems like it will never end. She said some people think money grows on trees over there. She even mentioned that a friend she knew back in school once asked her for financial help to rent a room and settle some debts. This happened because another friend had advised her to come to Lagos and later abandoned her, leaving her stranded. After my friend in the UK helped her, she continued asking for money almost every week.

She lamented that even people she barely knew would visit her profile just to ask for help. The funny thing is that none of them ever asks about her well-being or whether she also needs support. To them, being abroad automatically translates to having money. She also confided in me that she had to work night shifts in addition to her regular job. It is becoming overwhelming and needs to be addressed.

Truth be told, in this part of the country, many things are wrong. People are working endlessly with little or nothing to show for it. The economy has become unbearable, and it seems people now work only to eat. Civil servants can hardly afford to send their children to school. It is getting worse by the day. The government increased school fees by almost 500 per cent and then introduced a student loan scheme that is not even accessible. Added to this is the 7.5 per cent VAT on goods and taxes on money credited to personal accounts.

The truth is that taxes are paid all over the world, and we understand that. However, when citizens do not benefit from the so-called taxes, it becomes difficult to justify paying them. There are no good roads, no pipe-borne water, and worst of all, no stable electricity.
It is painful to see people you love going through difficulties when there is little or nothing you can do to help.

This morning, a friend and I were conversing, and she told me that the salary she was just paid is already exhausted because most of it went into servicing loans. I also confessed that I am in the same situation. Although the loan I took was for a good cause, it has made it difficult for me to invest. I now survive mainly on the little I earn from Hive and other engagements I am involved in.