I just wanted to make mummy proud

Dear mum, I wanted to make you proud

I’m sorry I failed stupidly. The foolishness of a child can indeed be great. 

“Congratulations, you have just won a chance to win N1,000,000.00 in the ongoing LaCasera promo. To enjoy this, please call 080xxxxxxxxx”

The excitement I felt knew no bounds. I stared at my bulky Nokia phone with great delight. My God has answered our prayer. Mum was not home but I needed to make her so proud. So, I proceeded to make the call. 

Ring. Ring.

Without waste of time, as if waiting for me, I heard the husky voice. “How may I help?”

“Yes sir, I just received the message saying that I am qualified to win the N1m for the LaCasera promo”

“Oh yes, please provide your full name. You will be required to buy Glo airtime of N1500 and send the details to this number. Ensure you copy it out well. We need it to make the necessary calls and connections”

Ahhh, I thought to myself, where will I get that kind of money from? But I needed to give mum this bombshell of a surprise. I must make her proud. So I sought ways to get the money.

All the while, I never thought of the fact that I never registered for any promo whatsoever. Was this greed or what? What manner of foolishness was this? Which village person was shaking calabash for my matter abeg?

I did not get up to N1500, so I called the guy and told him I could only get that of N500. He replied by saying I could send it like that while he awaits the remaining. So I did. 

I continued searching for more because this money must be made. N1m is not a joke at all.

I imagined the new accommodation it could get us and the funding of mum’s business.

God had mercy on my stupid mind and decided to move me to ask an uncle who was a neighbor. He asked me why I needed that kind of money(N1000). I was in secondary school and he wondered what the problem was that would make me want such an amount. 

Is everything okay? He asked.

So I showed him the text and laughed at me so hardly. I was angry and embarrassed as well. What was so funny about such news. The man over the phone was already calling frequently. 

After laughing so hard, this uncle looked at me fiercely and gave me the lesson of my life. He told me of how many people had been preys to such dubious means. He told of how such people could lure one to secret places and use them for rituals and how that they have manipulated people into devouring all of their money and those of their relations or friends. Many times the victims were being greedy, other times, they were naïve and lacking necessary knowledge.

I stood wide eyed, shaking from the fear that my imaginations were building already.

But I just wanted to make mummy proud.

I failed.

                          ******************************

Dear reader, how many times have you fallen prey to such deceit? Do you know that greed is a canker? You may think it only ends with wanting more than enough food or clothes? There is so much more that it does. You may not even notice that it has crept into your daily living and your relationships.

Perhaps, it is because you have sufficient knowledge on subject matters. It is important to have basic knowledge on matters and where necessary, get a mastery of such matters.

I was lucky but you may not be.

It may not be the foolishness of a child but the greed of a full grown man or woman who wants to be foolish like a child. That kind of foolishness is usually never yielding a good result.

The only foolishness of a child that is acceptable is that which is commanded by Christ. It is only in following Christ foolishly that you are sure would yield great wisdom and profit.

 

Dear Reader, what is your own story?