Money

By Fatimat Ibr

It was my first Ramadan as a graduate and as a serving copper, and it was two days before Ramadan. As a tradition, I called my mom to ask her about the preparation for Ramadan. I knew I couldn’t afford her anything just yet, but checking in was very necessary and important.

She answered, “Hmmm, you know the condition of this house before you left, nothing ohh I don’t have anything, this is 08:30, I am still on my way home from the market, I delayed hoping I will eventually make a good sale so I can get some things we need but no show, things are expensive, we don’t have beans, rice auger or millet, like always I will be buying with cups when I can, Aisha is sick, Usman hasn’t pay his school fees, wallahi I am tired, you and your sis should do fast and come and continue I am tired”.

Before she ended her conversation, my throat was dry and tight, tears were rolling down my cheeks, I couldn’t form a word, tried but couldn’t, and had to end the call.

This is a story of one to a hundred youths in Nigeria, both male and female.

I am a young girl in her early twenties, already caught in the fire of fending for myself, which I barely can do and must carry on with four or five family members. Why? Because I need to pay the “black tax.”

Black tax is a term that originated in South Africa and refers to money that black workers or professionals and others with high income give their parents, siblings, friends, or other family members. The origin of the black tax is rooted in historical and systemic inequality that was prevalent at the time. 

The history of black tax can be traced back to the legacy of apartheid in South Africa, which ended in the 1990s. During the apartheid era, Black individuals and families were denied access to many economic opportunities and resources. As a result, they often relied on the support of extended family and community members to make ends meet.

When apartheid ended, many Black individuals and families gained access to new economic opportunities and were able to improve their financial situations. However, they continued to feel a sense of responsibility towards their extended family and community, and this financial obligation became known as the “black tax.”

The black tax has become a menace in Nigeria that needs to be curbed due to the increase in the rate of poverty.

However, we know that it is a thing of honour and Noble to extend hands to others, family, and the community at large,but not at the expense of your personal development and growth.

As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have”, which is why you need to show up fully for yourself to be able to show up for others.

I want you, my friends and youths, to know and learn to show up for your siblings, parents, and your community with a full cup. You could be there for them emotionally and intellectually.

I talked with fellow corps members, and they have these to say.

“I do not pick up calls from my mum or siblings anymore. I am taking care of my mental health, and I am tired of hearing stories and being guilt-tripped about how I was trained for school and all. I do know  they are my responsibility, but I need them to understand that I am trying and thinking about them” ~ Oghene Martha

“I have been paying Black tax since my undergraduate days, and I never get to try restaurants and fun places in school that require money. In school, I constantly thought of things we lacked at home that I needed to get when going back, so I used to do little business in school to stay afloat. Now that I am serving and had to go to a different state, it is challenging because I haven’t recognised any opportunity here, and the 33k barely takes me through for three weeks, but I still have to send money home. My siblings always ranting, it overwhelming actually” ~ Yusuf Nana

Both religion and education have taught us the benefits of giving, and its importance cannot be overemphasised. However, strategy and caution are needed in all aspects of life. We strain ourselves so much to our elastic limit that when things get turpsy, we are again looking for the next best target to Leach off from.

How To Deal with Black Tax?

Communicate:  Talk to your family; they will understand. Be transparent, and let them know how much you are trying and working to help yourself and for them. Tell them how much their understanding and emotional support would mean to you. Assure them that you know, see all they did for you, and appreciate them, but you need them to be patient with you.

Work with gross income, not Net income: Your gross income is what you have after settling or deducting your debts, transportation costs, and other daily costs you incur while working over the month. If you must tell your parents, siblings, and friends your salary, it should be your Gross income.

Example: My net income is 250k, and if I tell my parents that I earn that, how would they feel when I send 50k at the end of the month? The best way is this: You earn 250k, you spend 50k monthly on transportation, and airtime 5k. You are left with 195. Then, that is what you share with them. They would be happier if you sent them 30 to 45k.

Set Financial Goals: No matter how minimal your income is, you should have a savings plan; all it takes is discipline, and you will make it work. In the end, it all goes to add up.

Do not lend money to friends and family: 80% of the money you borrow from your friends and family will be very difficult to recover. Most debts end up severing ties between friends and family. Instead, you could adopt this strategy. My friend or one of my siblings asked me to lend her 20k, and I told her I did not have that money, but I could spare her 4 to 5k. I am giving you this for free, so you do not need to pay it back. This is a proven strategy that works most of the time. You protected your relationship and your money. Never give room for cash to steer problems between you and a family.

Learn to say No: This is difficult, but it is necessary. You can be in everyone’s good books. Know what you can bear, recognise your strength, and say no to everything else. Remember, you are nobody’s last hope. Eventually, they will find a way to survive with or without you.

Invest in yourself: You need money to make money, buy things, take trips, and eat good meals. If you fail, people pulling you down with expectations will be the first to criticize you. Take care of yourself. 

Be intentional about your physical, intellectual, and financial growth. Black tax is a tool for guilt trips and emotional blackmail, creating balance, and taking care of your mental health.

Until we learn to eliminate pressure, expectations, and guilt and focus on building sustainability and savings, the black tax will continue to be an endemic that will continue to affect future generations.

Together, we can break the vicious cycle of generational dependence.

Fatimat Ibrahim Abedoh is a corps member in Nassarawa State and wrote via abedohfatimat@gmail.com.

By Abdulrazak Mukhtar

Money uniquely impacts family relationships, often leading to complex dynamics and a range of emotions. When individuals come into money, it can suddenly bring distant relatives to the forefront, seeking a connection or financial assistance. Conversely, acquiring wealth can also result in the emergence of long-lost relatives, appearing out of nowhere and claiming familial ties. This intriguing interplay between money and family sheds light on how our financial status influences our relationships.

When individuals experience a financial windfall, it’s not uncommon for distant relatives to suddenly appear. The allure of wealth and the possibility of benefiting from it can lead relatives who were once distant or disinterested to seek a connection. Whether driven by curiosity or a desire to share in the newfound affluence, these relatives may approach with familiarity, hoping to establish a bond and potentially reap the benefits of financial success.

Conversely, when someone finds themselves in a financially favourable position, they often become a target for relatives seeking assistance. Family members may seek financial support for personal endeavours, investments, or during hardship. The individual’s newfound wealth positions them as a potential source of aid, which can create a delicate dynamic of balancing familial obligations, personal goals, and responsible resource management.

The convergence of money and relatives can create a unique tug-of-war within family dynamics. Individuals who come into wealth must navigate the complexities of determining the authenticity of newfound relationships and managing expectations. Striking a balance between generosity and self-preservation is essential in maintaining healthy relationships while safeguarding personal interests.

To navigate this complex terrain, it is crucial to approach these situations with sensitivity and caution. Open communication is vital in establishing clear expectations, boundaries, and intentions with relatives. Honest conversations can foster genuine connections while managing financial expectations.

Defining personal goals becomes essential to make informed decisions about resource allocation. Individuals can prioritise their needs by aligning financial decisions with values and aspirations while considering family interests.

Seeking professional guidance from financial advisors, estate planners, or family counsellors can provide valuable insights and strategies for managing family dynamics while preserving personal financial well-being. These professionals can help individuals navigate the complexities of money-related familial relationships, offering objective advice and support.

Maintaining emotional boundaries is crucial when dealing with the influx of relatives during prosperous times. Distinguishing between genuine relationships rooted in care and those driven solely by financial motives is necessary to protect oneself from exploitation or manipulation.

Emphasising shared experiences, values, and interests can help foster authentic connections with relatives. Individuals can cultivate meaningful connections based on mutual understanding and common ground by focusing on the aspects of the relationship that go beyond monetary considerations.

In conclusion, the interplay between money and relatives within family relationships can be intricate and challenging. Managing the sudden emergence of distant relatives and requests for financial assistance requires careful consideration, open communication, and setting personal boundaries. By balancing familial obligations and personal goals, individuals can foster healthy relationships while protecting their financial well-being.

Abdulrazak Mukhtar can be contacted via prof4true1@gmail.com.

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin

Needless to say, everyone wants money. Most of us have an insatiable love for them. There is this Hausa rhetoric:  if anyone says, “you have too much love for money, then the person saying that is playing with your intelligence”. In other words, the accuser is being unserious because what he said is a fact not only about you alone but everyone.

However, that is not the nitty-gritty of the matter because the like for money is one thing, and getting them is another. Getting the money is not as easy as pushing a standing pestle. Neither is it as easy as slapping a chick (in Dan Anace’s words)

To get the Phoenician’s invention, one has to invest a lot. It is a struggle for “survival of the fittest”. Those who bring or have the best ideas or strategy get them, thus putting us in constant skirmish and outweighing one another (capitalism in short).

Through their programs, some people have allegedly found a platform that can bring us this money almost effortlessly. In other words, the Ponzi scheme, alias pyramid, promises to free us from the bandage of suffering before getting the money.

To get to the utopia, according to these organizations, one will only invest a certain amount of money, and instantly a fixed profit is ensured (which one can claim after some time). The return of these investments is usually from 10 to 1000 per cent.

Initially, these Ponzi organizations’ operations were physical, with their offices and agents well known. One of such schemes that once cut across nook and cranny in Zamfara State was “oil and gas investment.”

The gale of the scheme in the state swept aside everyone on its path. It left neither business people, politicians, government workers, or even town heads. The “oil and gas” claimed an investment with a 100 per cent return in two weeks. For instance, an investment of 10,000 would qualify one to cash out 20,000 in two weeks. This is the type of eldorado business everyone can envisage, making it difficult to resist.

With the global transition from a physical to an online platform, the Ponzi schemes have followed suit. They would unleash their various applications where subscribers follow laid-down rules. Although different from the physical schemes, the concept remains the same: invest a certain amount of money and recoup mouth-watering profit (at 100 % assurance).

MMM was one online Ponzi that traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria, thanks to the subscribers’ testimonies like that of the oil and gas scheme. MMM promised and initially delivered 30 per cent profit to subscribers at every kobo invested within two weeks. This online investment was even riskier because the subscribers were dealing with faceless agents. When the MMM finally crashed, the bang of the burst was heard everywhere across the globe.

How the MMM founder from the far East of the globe, Russia, was able to convince Nigerians (some of whom are learned) to use not only their savings but other people’s money (staff salary, school registration fees, or money entrusted to them) was a mystery

The basic modus operandi of any pyramid scheme is the same: one particular schemer (the Ponzi initiator) would convince one to two people. Next, these two people convince four, four convince eight, and it keeps cascading like a symbolic pyramid hence the name pyramid scheme. Note the new subscribers in the pyramid pay the older ones; those at the top, especially the schemer who is at the top, bag the most money out of the scheme to the detriment of those at the bottom. For the scheme to remain healthy in operation, the new subscribers must always be able to pay the older ones; otherwise, the scheme becomes stuck in the mud.

Some of the Ponzi schemes recently to have met the waterloo are ISME and OSTIME. And according to “nogofalmaga”, an NGO specialist in dealing with Ponzi schemes, some other currently active schemes are only a matter of when not if they flow suit. These are SunPower, Tesla-recharger, Bitmaincenter sabrinascala, stormgain, among others.

In order not to take too much space, I reserved for the next article the discussion of some funny traits of Ponzi schemes

The elixir for easy money doesn’t exist. The Ponzi scheme can only provide for a few while robbing many others. If it is too good to be true, don’t trust it.

Bilyamin Abdulmumin wrote via bilal4riid13@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Aminu 

In what appears like a movie, a sum of N31 million naira has been stolen inside the Katsina Government House.

The Director-General to Governor Aminu Masari on New Media, Alhaji Al-Amin Isah, confirmed the heist at the account section of the State Government House on Thursday.

Isah, who did not disclose the exact figure, said that some of the suspects were investigated.

“Yes, it’s true that some money was alleged to have been stolen, as you have asked. We have already reported the matter to the police for investigation. I can not tell you the exact figure now, but those in the best position will give you more updates, please,” he added.

However, sources in the Government House confirmed that the money stolen was in the sum of N31 million.

The Katsina Government House experienced money theft in 2020 when unknown persons allegedly broke into the office of the former Secretary to the Government of Katsina State (SGS), Mustapha Inuwa, and made away with N16 million.

A few weeks ago, the police in Katsina State confirmed that it was investigating the alleged stealing of N61 million from a cashier at the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Aminu Darma.

The financial officer reportedly said he was attacked by shooters while travelling with three bags filled with N61 million cash. He was said to have been shot in the arm before the money was stolen.

According to reports, the shooters trailed Darma from the bank, where they reportedly ambushed him.

By Abba Muhammad Tawfiq

Most religious and social felonies are committed solely to nurturing the sown seeds of an insatiable desire for money, materialism and mundane accomplishments, reinforcing the Biblical notion that “the love of money is the root of all evil”.

On the ground of moral virtue, no religion in the worthiness of its sanctity nor a firm believer and practitioner of any faith can complement or plead devotion to whatever form of major and minor despicable moral misconduct.

There is nothing wrong with striving to make a beautiful living through the means sanctioned by religions and society. However, the aftermath of the strong inclination to live a high life at all costs, even through ways that defy basic rules and breach fundamental human civilization, is what we terribly testify to today.

The conviction of the culprit teacher and his accomplices that abducted, mutilated and buried the stiff of his naive and innocent student despite having the three million naira ransom at his disposal sparked bitter feelings of every soft conscienced individual in the country. But for the sake of money and worldly gains, this dirty act is not the ever-existing cruelty that hurts the dignity of our religions and community.

Talking to an extreme length, the deficit of love, compassion, and trust in the quest for affluence and fame have seismically cleaved even familial alliances and bonds.

On January 8, 2022, the crime bulletin aired by Neptune Prime was that of a 25-year-old Niger boy who paid an assassin the sum of N110000 to help send his father on an excursion to the land of his ancestors so as to inherit his possessions.

Similarly, on January 13, 2022, a 52-year-old Enugu father and 32-year-old Lagos elder brother allied with mum were reportedly arrested on the charge of taking malicious delight in murdering three offsprings and a  sibling. All in the common interest of ritual money.

Our lack of contentment and the unwillingness to live within the ambits of our earnings give a proper insight into the pervading tragic circumstances of easy money-making. Everyone is desperate for shortcut success, power and fame–riches, expensive attire and mobile phones, and owning mansions with exotic vehicles. Thus,  choose to pay that price even via ways that incur the Godly wrath on us.

May the merciful and forgiving Lord save our souls from indulging in mischievous acts, ameen

Abba Muhammad Tawfiq is a 500L Medical Rehabilitation student at the University of Maiduguri.

By Ishaka Mohammed

Illusion. Yes, that’s what I see in many fellows who consider themselves optimists. Denying the existence of a sad situation doesn’t portray optimism; rather, it depicts a glaring loss of control in an ocean of illusion. However, believing that the situation will change for the better is optimism.

There’s no gainsaying that poor remuneration is an undeniable feature of a typical Nigeria’s workplace. Considering the conditions of service and state of the nation, one can irrevocably say that many employees are grossly underpaid in almost every organisation in Nigeria.

From media houses to fuel stations, schools and other organisations, you find journalists, pump attendants and teachers who work for no fewer than eight hours per day but go home at the end of the month with a paltry sum of N15,000 or something lower than that. In fact, I heard from a lecturer of mine who used to be a practising journalist (now a communication lecturer) that a certain publisher of a national newspaper told some of his employees that their identity cards were their meal tickets; he had nothing to pay them. This is one of the reasons why some journalists not only expect but also demand brown envelopes from organisers of events.

This underpayment issue is like asking a man to walk fast on an alley filled with banana rind. Considering the slippery nature of the rind, it’ll be a great achievement for such a person to avoid staggering, that’s if he doesn’t fall outright. As an employee, I feel your pains, but you need that achievement; you must stand tall. Avoid waiting for others to change things for you.

Many underpaid workers are forced into recording unsatisfactory performances. That’s one thing you must resist. Once you’re sure that your remuneration is poor, look for where you may attract more value to yourself; otherwise, consider upscaling your competence.

Martin Luther King’s speeches often inspire me. He insisted that we must be the best of whatever we are. As a classroom teacher, I become more critical of myself each time I read the following lines. 

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper that did his job well.'”

So, dear teachers, being underpaid must never turn you into cheats. Instead, research, teach and evaluate your students appropriately. Those kids under your tutelage don’t belong to your employer; they’re future leaders. Even if they don’t end up in public offices, they’ll at least lead their families. And, as we all know, it’s difficult for banditry and terrorism to thrive in a society where a significant percentage of members possess quality education.

Beware, o you health workers. In your dealings with your patients, avoid being influenced by the unfair treatment you receive from your employers or the government. If you fail to control yourself, you may murder innocent people or cause them lasting deformities.

My dear journalists, we’re aware of the meagre sums you take home as salaries. But such should never be your justification to feed your society with false stories. A mass communication lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Dr Muhammad Hashim Suleiman, once said, “The deliberate mistakes of journalists…lead to mangled human bodies, orphaned children, burnt cities, poverty…and general societal retrogression.” I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be responsible for chaos in your society.

O fellow Nigerians, here’s a passionate appeal to you. Aim for excellence in whatever you do. Regardless of your workplace or salary value, make diligence and fulfilment your hallmarks and watchwords. If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Be mindful of posterity; do your level best today so that the people of tomorrow will mention you for good.

And in case it becomes necessary to resign your position in an organisation, remember to quit honourably. Even after submitting your resignation, make your presence noticeable by offering your very best until your last day there; such might make your employer feel your absence. Due to the unpredictability of life, avoid burning your bridges.

On a final note, dear Nigerian workers, bear in mind that your actions and inactions have earthly and heavenly consequences. Being guided by professionalism will do you a great deal of goodness. So, strive always to be the best version of yourself. On the above premise, therefore, as an underpaid worker, you’re expected to solve your problem. You’re the best person to change your situation for the better.

Ishaka Mohammed wrote from Kaduna State. He can be reached via ishakamohammed39@gmail.com.

By Alkasim Harisu

In my neighbourhoods, a marriage contract that had stayed long in the making was recently cancelled. I received this news that made my worst news of the month about a week ago. My mother broke this tragic story about two families connected by blood and kinship marriage. They also were and are united by whereabouts. Above all, they once lived in the same house.

The two lovers dated for more than seven years. When the love commerce began, the girl was much younger. The guy, undoubtedly the older love partner, had kept courting the girl despite the difficulties that often arose. He had endured the immaturity girls the age of his date show. Whenever a misunderstanding happened between the duo, the girl would quickly fault him. But the guy would patiently swallow his anger, contrary opinion and eat humble pie even if he was correct. He is the epitome of patience. Because, as people close to him will say, the man epitomises patience in both his social and business intercourse with people. He never picks quarrels with people. He demonstrated more patience when the girl’s family postponed his wedding several times for no good reason because he should have tied the knot two years previously.

To cap it all, this guy was denied the girl on some loose basis. Guess why? He is not wealthy. It is sad to know that riches have capital importance to many of us. They mean everything, so to say. But, like it or not, in many circumstances, the continuation and/or breakdown of a relationship hugely rest upon riches.

I am not blowing my own trumpet, but I can indeed marry off my daughter to a responsible person provided he has got a job, and I don’t mind if he scavenges for a living. However, it is disappointing that today some people hate to give their daughters’ hands in marriage to people that carpenter, teach or plumb for a livelihood, no matter how morally and religiously good these people are. They consider such jobs disgusting and can’t bring themselves close to people in such occupations, let alone associating or identifying themselves with them. But you never can tell; such people can one day become stinking rich. Such is life.

Today, thanks to the difficulty of gaining employment, many people have had to combine jobs. As a result, many folks engage in various occupations, which fetches them a lot of money. I know one of such people who is currently building his own house due to his hard work and commitment.

To our dismay, the family of the girl I was earlier on talking about lost their humanity and sent back the engagement money of this guy. The marriage arrangement lacked architecture with them. This is evident in their frequent delaying of the wedding. They once said they were postponing the wedding to allow the man to complete his house because they did not want their daughter to languish in a rented house. As this occurred, only Allah knows how many sleepless nights the guy had experienced. Anyway, they have sufficiently assassinated their character themselves.

This girl has memorised some portion of the Holy Qur’an. Quite unfortunately, she shows it off. Even though she is not that beautiful, I can say she is averagely beautiful. And that does not matter. These and other reasons made her proudly say she could not wed someone with no gainful job. “Mai na sama ya ci, balle ya bawa na kasa“, the girl would often say. She was saying this because the guy is a jeweller. He is not rich enough to live up to her expectations. But he is responsible and can cater for her.

Towards the end of this love drama, the girl started making new dates. Just imagine the kind of family that permits this with a girl already betrothed. There was a time she got the number of my former colleague. Then, he was newly married. Not long ago, he got his firstborn. Seeing him in our neighbourhood with another co-working friend, she did the unimaginable to get his number. This Prince Charming stole her heart at first sight. No doubt, he came by car; that was why she lost herself to him. She ignorantly thought the car was his.

We share a neighbourhood with the elder sister of the ex-boyfriend. To be precise, she is our next-door neighbour. They rent their house. Shamelessly, the girl did not care to stand with her new boyfriends before her sister-in-law’s house and cousin. “Biri ya yi kama da mutum!” Indeed, she no longer had the guy at heart. Nevertheless, she summoned up all her willpower to do this to provoke her already-broken-hearted boyfriend.

When I passed by the girl’s house, I would often see her a bit far from the guy. I kept wondering how this was happening between lovers. From the perspective of space, the gap between them did not explain a love relationship. Those who study the science of space (proxemics) will tell us more. There is no telling that such a distance speaks about a lack of love. As I saw this, I always became the saddest.

Marriage is known to weld and cement relationships. But this cancelled marriage proposal will only devastate the relationship between the two families. I can’t think of the mess the two families will be in because the girl’s grandmother is the younger sister of the ex-boyfriend’s grandmother.

A lot of people think that peer pressure works on girls. I agree with them. Yes, most girls are misadvised by their close friends. This is even one of the disadvantages of collecting many friends. But this situation makes an exception. The problem originated from the girl’s family because the girl’s birth mother is worldly-wise; she only wants a wealthy person for her daughter. She is money-wise.

Indeed, you are a nobody to many people if you don’t have money. In sha Allah, they are only hoping against hope. The choice or dream husband will not come their way since they abandoned a poor person who sells jewellery for a living.

As the girl is becoming wiser with the passing of days, we pray she doesn’t end up in sexual commerce with people stealing her attention. Money talks, of course. But Allah is Ever-Awake. He will judge the situation.

Alkasim Hariru wrote from Kano. He can be reached via alkasabba10@gmail.com.