A Nigerian soldier has revealed how his wife’s advice is helping him survive in this “Buhari economy”.
The soldier, who was away from Nigeria for two years on official assignment, returned to the country from Somalia and was planning his next move when his wife pitched in and advised him that his plan wasn’t the best. He listened to her and is now grateful for it, not to mention richer.
Read his lengthy story below ;
Let me tell you guys a short story on how I’ve been surviving in this Buhari economy.
When I returned to Nigeria after my two years tour with AU/UN in Somalia, I thought of buying another car for myself because my ma’am had taken over my Rav4 and joining commercial bus is really tasking for me.
This is not a thing of pride, if you’re use to driving yourself around, if you try to join a commercial bus anytime your car is not available just for a day, you’d feel frustrated due to the task and process it will take you to join a commercial bus plus your comfort may not be guaranteed.
And I also find it difficult dragging car keys with my wife ‘coz for a fact, she need the car more than I do at the moment.
My ma’am use the car to drop our kids at school and also use it for her personal business running around.
So the only logical thing for me is to buy another car to ease my movement since I find it difficult to join public transport daily.
So I began to think, which car should I buy…..
I went to Berger and began to check for various types of cars.
I checked for…
Toyota Camry 2009 model.
Luxus 350 SUV.
Toyota Corolla Sport 2007 model
Toyota highlander and various other flashy cars/SUV….you won’t blame me because I just returned from international assignment and there’s enough foreign currency in my domiciliary account even after I’ve spent heavily on my late dad burial, I still can afford ANY car of my choice if that’s my problem….
Daily, I’d either visit Berger, Jiji online store which was introduced to me by Iyoyojie Adesua and other car shops around me searching for a very clean and a pocket friendly car/SUV that will fit my present personality.
Remember, I just returned from international assignment and my colleagues in the office must know I’m a new returnee and the only way they’ll know is when I announce myself with the most expensive and flashy car in the office. That’s the norm anyways.
Most of my colleagues who travel for international assignments do this, so why shouldn’t I?
The only way people will know you’ve arive in Nigeria from international assignment/abroad is when you announce yourself with a flashy car/SUV. Without that, who you be?
Some of my colleagues will be like “My friend, me and you no be mate, I just came back from foreign mission. Look at my machine. Can you afford it? So, give me some respect….”
But after six months, you’d ask yourself, “is it true that this man just came back from foreign mission?”
The only thing SOME of colleagues will have going is the flashy car they bought which most times, they can’t even maintain. Key word, some of them not all of them.
So one morning, I decided to travel to Benin republic to buy my dream car myself, so I spoke to my wife before going and she said…”this money you want to spend to buy this car is it not much? Why not buy a small car and invest the rest into a business that will fetch you daily income? Things are not easy in Nigeria ooo, you’ve been away for so long so I understand this present economy better than you. My advise is that you should invest part of this money into something that will bring more money to support your salary. You know you’re the first child, your don’t have father, mother and your younger ones are all looking up to you plus you have a family to cater for…..”she advise
Her words made perfect sense to me and my search for a car ended that very moment.
“Which business will I now invest this huge amount of money into that will bring profits daily without complain? I asked myself
But, I still need to buy a car or anything to ease my movement.
The confusion.
So, I then thought, why don’t you buy a bus…
A bus can take you to work and you can still use it to hustle during your spare time. At least, I’m a forceman and no one will harass me since I’ll drive it myself.
Good ideal. I thought.
I began to search for prices of good buses.
Toyota Hiace.
Mitsubishi
Ford
Volkswagen
Hyundai H1
Nissan Urvan etc
I searched, searched, searched and I finally bought a direct tokunbo accident free bus that has never been used in Nigeria and rarely used by the foreign owner which was recently shipped into the country by a business man.
I got the bus cheaply (I saved extra N500,000) because I bought it online via jiji store. The businessman use the bus to ship in some of his goods and was in need of money so the need for him to sell the bus urgently so as to use the money for other stuff arised and coincidentally, I happened to spot the advert minutes after he posted it online.
After I bought the bus, I use it not only to ease my movement. But I’ve been using it as my side hustle and also to help my wife carry most of her goods whenever the need arises.
You see, if I’d bought a car, by now, maybe I’d be bankrupted, smiling outwardly while driving my flashy car but crying inwardly ‘coz there’ll be a big hole in my pocket which only my salary won’t be able to patch.
The bus I bought had to a great extent helped me in managing my little salary, in fact, I rarely touch my salary, it also help me to take care of so many miscellaneous expenses and to be sincere, I’m not feeling the heat of the economy as much as many people are feeling it ‘coz, at least, something must enter pocket daily so long I drive out. I can’t drive my bus without carrying passengers. It’s almost impossible.
And yeah, I recently won one small contract with the bus where I use it to offload goods of one businessman in computer village Ikeja three times a week. The money I’m paid monthly from this little contract is almost twice my monthly salary. Yet, I still add small hustling to it ‘coz passengers full road yakata.
Who big boy epp when passengers full road?
Disclaimer: If you see me for road hustling with my bus, don’t panic, na my side hustle be that. I’m still very much in the force.
