My husband paid our daughter’s school fees back in July.
He told me, “I don’t like to rush.”
He wanted everything settled before September, so he paid her fees, bought her uniforms, shoes, canvas, jeans—everything she needed for the new session.
Yesterday, he paid for her books.
I was with my phone in the staff room when he sent the debit receipt, and I called him because I wanted to know if there was anything else left for me to buy.
He said, “No.”
Normally, my husband doesn’t want me paying the children’s fees or buying their school books for now. He says when the time comes, he'll let me know.
And I respect that.
But yesterday, we went out for a stroll, and he said he wanted to buy fuel.
When we got to the filling station, he came down to attend to buy oranges then I quietly signalled the attendant, gave her my card and told her:
“Please, fill his tank.” 😂
When my husband came back into the car and realized what I had done, we both started laughing.
I thank God that I could lessen his burden in my own little way.
This September has made me realise what sacrifice really is.
As women, sometimes our husbands may not want us to help them directly. That doesn't mean you can't support him.
If he says, “I’ve got this,” let him.
But you can still find another way to say, “I’ve got you too.”
Fuel his car.
Buy him a gift.
Replace that old shirt or suit.
Order his favourite meal.
Do something thoughtful not "God will provide" all the time.
Not because he is incapable of providing, but because he shouldn't have to feel like he is carrying everything alone.
I work in a school, and I have seen firsthand how parents have been trooping in this September to pay fees, buy books, uniforms and all the things that come with a new school session.
It is not easy.
So to all the responsible men out there who are doing their best for their families, I see you. We see you.
May God continue to strengthen you, provide for you and bless the work of your hands.
And to the women, sometimes support doesn't have to look like taking over.
Sometimes it simply looks like saying:
“You’ve got this, but I’ve got you too.” ❤️❤️
"We lived on his income and anything I made, we threw it at the house"
WE
This is relationship. This is partnership. This is marriage. E no go better for the nonsense you people are calling marriage in Nigeria
Let me tell you something about how the Nigerian import business works.
I sell Chinese cars too, just like many other dealers. But because we work directly with suppliers in China, our pricing can be significantly lower.
Take the BYD Song Plus for example.
Many car stands and showrooms in Abuja are selling this same model for around ₦68m–₦75m.
We are selling ours for ₦52m.
And this price difference has actually gotten me intimidated several times. Some dealers have tried to pressure me, especially because I am the face of the company here, to sell at prices similar to theirs.
But I can’t do that.
If our company has already achieved its targeted profit at ₦52m, why should I add another ₦16m–₦23m simply because other dealers are selling higher?
I would rather give the buyer a better price and still make our legitimate profit.
We currently have BYD Song Plus units available at our showroom in Abuja.
You can buy directly from us at ₦52m, subject to the available specification/unit.
And if you want to buy directly from the factory in China, we can also facilitate that. You will simply be responsible for the shipping and clearing costs.
If you are genuinely interested in the BYD Song Plus, send me a DM. I can show you the available units, specifications and buying options.
Same car. Same model. Why pay ₦68m–₦75m when you can get yours for ₦52m?
During one of my field training exercise, I was randomly selected and tasked to be a squad leader and I should move my formation from point A to point B tactically as we get attacked.
Fortunately for me, this guy beside is Nigerian/ Yoruba and Infantryman 😂
Some people said, "This is easy for you to say because you have parents. What if I don't have parents or anywhere to go?"
Fair point. But the principle is still the same.
If you're just starting your journey, don't rush into the most expensive lifestyle you can barely afford. Find somewhere affordable that gives you room to breathe. You don't have to live on the Island. You don't have to buy an Lexus IS250. You don't have to wear expensive clothes.
Don't be afraid to order clothes from Temu. Don't feel ashamed to go to Kantagua and buy clothes. Don't be ashamed to take public transport. You're starting from somewhere.
That period when you're living minimally is actually the period where you have the most room to push. Your focus should be on making more money, diversifying your income, saving, investing and building momentum.
Network. Talk to people. Meet people who are growing.
And honestly, you don't need a relationship at that point. If you're going to date, date someone who is also an hustler, someone who is willing to grind with you, not someone entitled who will put more pressure on your finances.
Your friends matter too. Surround yourself with people who want to grow, not people who constantly make you feel like you're not doing enough or turn into liabilities.
The money you're using to maintain a lifestyle today could become capital that pays you tomorrow.
That is where delayed gratification comes in.
Start small. Spend less. Save. Invest. Diversify. Build momentum.
Don't be ashamed of where you start. Your current position is not your final bus stop.
Disclaimer: If you're already doing well financially, just keep scrolling. This isn't for you.
But if you're just starting your journey, especially if you've been in a place where you were really broke, like I used to be, then you need to understand these simple steps.
Two years ago, I used to have less than ₦700. Then I made my first million naira and my earnings started becoming consistent. One of the best things I did for myself at that point was to go back to stay with my parents. I had no babe, no major responsibilities, and I wasn't trying to impress anyone. I was eating my normal trendy cheese food. I could spend ₦1,000 to ₦1,500 on food and basically be fine for the day.
A lot of people, once they start making ₦1M a month, will quickly leave their parents' house, rent an apartment, buy a car, start having ladies, start stepping out more, and start competing with people. I wasn't willing to compete with anyone. I just wanted to compete with my previous self. My previous self was broke.
My friends told me I should leave because I had started making money, but I told them I wasn't leaving. I wanted to stay, build and save better. People told me to buy a car, rent a place and do a lot of interesting things, but I said no because I had a plan.
And that decision helped me save a lot of money. I knew house rent would take a huge chunk of my earnings if I wanted to live in a nice, conducive environment in Lagos. Food is also expensive, and once you move out, you're not just paying rent. You're paying for electricity, internet, transportation, furnishing, maintenance and a lot of other things.
Instead, I wanted to use that period to build capital, invest and diversify my income.
Today, I can make close to ₦200K from investments without touching the capital. That's around ₦2M in a year while I still chase other jobs and build other things. The capital is still there, and the money keeps compounding.
That is the mindset I'm trying to build.
I don't want to depend on one source of income. I'm working with agencies, experimenting, building a startup, and soon I'll be starting a clothing brand, building an app and growing a beautiful community.
Living with my parents gives me the comfort to do all of this without constantly worrying about house rent or expensive food. It gives me room to think, reset, experiment and reshape what I'm doing.
So when I eventually leave, I don't need to move into a fancy apartment. I'll get a simple place and let it be a stepping stone.
I'm currently diversifying my income so I don't have to touch my salary just to pay rent.
I still eat my ₦1,000 to ₦1,500 food. I still use a simple ₦130K phone. I still live a very simple lifestyle.
Not because I can't spend more, but because I know I've been in poverty and I don't want to go back there.
If you're just starting out, you don't need to prove that you've made it because you started making money.
Build first. Save. Invest. Diversify. Then upgrade your lifestyle when your money can comfortably carry it.
Don't let your lifestyle grow faster than your income.
I'm not trying to look rich. I'm trying to build enough wealth that I don't have to struggle again.
On my way from Oshodi today. A young guy carrying a backpack suddenly waved down the bus(which was full)shouting “my phone is in that bus” and pointing to the bus up ahead.
The driver stopped for him and he hung…conductor style and our driver started chasing the bus.
The driver of the bus suddenly took another route. Everybody in the bus shouted.
We were all so invested in the young man getting his phone back. All eyes were on the bus so we don’t miss it.
The young man was sweating profusely. Our bus driver sped ahead and came out in front of the other bus where the roads came together again. And slowed down in front of the bus in a bid to get the driver to stop.