‘Have you seen Deji’? Simisola
asked Yewande.
‘Which of the Dejis?’
‘Deji the borrower’
‘No I haven’t seen him today.
Why? Is he owing you too?’
As Deji listened to his colleagues
discussion about him, he felt
himself getting sick. He slowly
walked away from Yewande’s
cubicle. Was that how he was
known? Deji the borrower? He
knew he borrowed a lot,
something he was battling with,
but he never thought that would
be his name behind his back. It
was not a pleasant discovery.
Deji went home that day, feeling
bad. He knew he had to make a
change, but he didn’t know how.
He seemed to lack the ability to
plan and manage his finances.
He was deep into despair at what
he just learnt, when his employer
came to his cubicle and gave him
some files to work on. By the end
of the day, Deji forgot about
making plans, he believed he
could change when he saw the
need.
Deji found himself always
waiting for the next pay check
one week after pay day, as he
paid off some debts. By the
second week, he’d be borrowing
from whoever was willing to lend
him some money, promising to
pay back at the arrival of the
next pay check. It was a vicious
cycle he was yet to acknowledge.
What he had eavesdropped on
months back, soon became a
direct confrontation.
‘Taiye, please I was wondering if
you can lend me some cash, like
twenty thousand naira. I will pay
back by month’s end when they
pay.’ Deji asked another
colleague who was also his
friend. He looked desperate. He
had just a thousand naira left
with him, and he didn’t know
how long that would last, but he
knew it will be exhausted today.
‘Deji, I am not going to lend you
any money. I think you are
addicted to borrowing, and…’
‘I am not addicted to borrowing’
Deji denied vehemently. ‘Please
don’t insult me because I asked
for your help. It could be you
asking for my help tomorrow.’
‘You don’t get it. You are not
asking for help, you are not in
need’ Taiye maintained
stubbornly. He had been waiting
for the perfect time to confront
Deji on his borrowing addiction.
‘It’s an addiction. It’s all most as
if you squander your money so
you could borrow. It’s a part of
you.’
Deji was so angry, he saw red.
‘Taiye, you are getting me really
angry’ He shouted. ‘Who gave
you the right to examine and
judge my life? Who? Who do you
think you are? Because you come
from a wealthy family does not
mean you should rub my face in
my struggle.’
Taiye couldn’t believe what Deji
was saying. He had told Deji, in
confidence, that he came from a
wealthy family, and was working
because his father wanted him to
work in his company. He choose
to be independent for a while
before making his decision to
work for his father or not. ‘I
can’t believe you will rub that in
my face, but it’s alright. I now
know how you see me, but know
that I warned you. Here is ten
thousand, I am not lending you, I
am giving you. I think you
should clean up your financial
mess before it overwhelms you.
You should here what people are
saying about you when you are
not present. They are avoiding
you. I still maintain that it’s a
matter of wrong programming
and bad planning.’ Taiye dropped
the cash on the canteen table
and walked out.
Deji couldn’t believe his good
fortune. He had ten thousand!
He felt guilty about what he said
to Taiye. “I will thank and
apologize to him when next I see
him” he promised himself. He
never got the opportunity. Taiye
resigned that evenong.
A year later, Deji was promoted.
Even though he was a borrower,
he was a good worker, and
employee. With his promotion,
Taiye’s prediction came true.
‘Cynthia can you please lend me
thirty thousand naira? I will
reimburse you next week.’ He
told another colleague during
break.
She just stared at him.
‘Okay just lend me twenty.’ he
said, thinking her stare meant
the amount was too much. ‘What
about fifteen? I will even return
it with five thousand naira extra.
I just…’
‘You have to be joking Deji,
please tell me you are joking.’
Cynthia interrupted his begging.
‘Why would I be joking? I am in
need and…’
‘and you just got promoted!’
Cynthia finished for him. ‘Your
salary was increased by over a
hundred percent. I am still at my
former salary, where you were
before. You owe me ten thousand
which I finally got tired of asking
you for and left it alone, and now
you are asking for thirty
thousand?’
‘Fifteen… Fifteen is what I asked
for actually’ Deji said pitifully.
‘Deji, next week I want my ten
thousand naira, or you won’t like
my reaction. Stupid borrower.’
Cynthia hissed and walked away.
By the end of work for the day,
other workers had heard the gist,
and they all remembered the
monies Deji owed and came to
give him warning. Next week
was the day he was paying back
the money he owed them. By the
time the calculations was done,
Deji found out he was owing two
hundred and thirty five thousand
naira.
His salary was only a hundred
thousand.
Deji forgot about borrowing
thirty thousand. He had to admit
that he had a problem. How did
he get to be owing over two
hundred thousand? What did he
use it for?
‘I am in deep trouble.’ he said to
himself, holding his head.
Immediately he remembered
Taiye’s warning about getting
overwhelmed. ‘He will help me,
Taiye will help me.’ he
convinced himself, as he scrolled
through his phone looking for
Taiye’s number.
Taiye picked after the second
ring. ‘Hello’ he sounded
distracted.
‘Hello Taiye’
‘Yes this is Taiye, please who am
I speaking with?’
‘Taiye it’s Deji, Deji Koforiji’
‘Deji Koforiji, Deji Koforiji. The
name doesn’t ring a bell. Wait!
Deji the borrower?’ Taiye asked
‘Thank you for changing my
surname.’
‘I’m sorry but that was what
everyone called you then. What’s
up?’
‘I…I need your help. I need you
to borrow, I mean lend me
hundred thousand naira. I will
pay you by next month’s end.’
‘Wow! You are now borrowing
up to a hundred thousand?’ Taiye
couldn’t believe his ears.
‘No it’s complicated. I just…’
‘Deji no matter how complicated
it is, I am not giving you a dime.
But I can help you curb your
borrowing habits.’
‘Taiye please, I will curb it. But I
just need to settle some debts
that are threatening to
overwhelm me.’
‘Funny you are using the exact
words I used when I warned you.
I am not giving you money. I can
only offer advise and moves to
help you stop borrowing.’
Deji ended the call.
‘You will call back’ Taiye said
confidently.
‘Okay help me, tell me what to
do. I’m owing two hundred and
thirty five thousand naira, and
my salary is hundred thousand.’
Deji called back the next day.
‘What?! Two hundred and thirty
five? Deji what have you done?’
‘Are you going to help me or
not?’
‘I will help you, but it won’t be
easy, and you have to do what I
say. Do you understand?’
‘Yes I do.’
‘Good.’
Deji had to make a plan to live
within twenty thousand naira
monthly. He was to return his
tithe immediate he received his
salary, take out twenty thousand
for himself, and pay debts with
the rest of his salary.
By the third month, Deji hated
the word borrow. It had robbed
him of a lot.
He discovered that in borrowing,
he had been postponing and
increasing his present pain,
while he spent and decreased his
future pleasure. He was humbled
each time he had to beg the rest
of the people he owed to wait till
the next pay check, as they
insulted him and gave him
further warnings.
The day he paid the last five
thousand naira, he breathed a
sigh of relief. He had forty five
thousand naira left of his salary,
but for the first time in a very
long time, this money was totally
his, no debts hanging over his
head, no fear of how or when it
will finish. He was a free man.
He called Taiye. ‘Taiye I am free.
I am finally free. I have paid all
my debts!’
‘Yes! Congratulations man. I trust
you have learnt your lesson?’
‘Lessons, I learnt lessons. I called
to ask if you can lend, I mean
invest for me. I have forty five
thousand naira left and I want to
start investing. I don’t want to
borrow again. Not even loans
from banks.’
‘I’m loving this. Of course there
are ways. Why not come over to
the office when you are free, so
we can discuss your options.’
‘Cool. See you tomorrow.’
‘Great.’
By the end of six months, Deji
the borrower was known as Deji
the investor.
He changed.
THE END!
