This is a short story written by Tosin Silverdam

Her name is Obianuju Elizabeth Eze, she hails from Anambra state but was born and grew up in Ebute metta, Lagos state. She’s the first child of her parent, she has seven younger siblings, meaning she’s the first child out of 8 children. Her father is a teacher in a government primary school while her mother is a petty trader. She’s 26 years old, a graduate of philosophy from University of Lagos.

Well, Obianuju works in a bank, she lives in 2 bedrooms apartment with a friend in a very posh environment of Magodo, she drives a car, she wears expensive shoes, expensive clothes, her accessories are so expensive, her hair is also expensive, everything about Obianuju is so expensive and posh. But the funniest part is her parent and siblings still lives in a single room she was born and grew up.

Every time her parent and siblings call her for money she was always telling them she has no money, she was always complaining of being broke, she hardly sends money to her parent. Her parent really suffered just to send her to school, they went through hell just to make sure she went to the university, so that when she graduate and get a job she will be able to help her siblings. So many times that her mother would sell her wrappers just to make sure she graduate from the university. Too bad Obianuju didn’t make her parent happy, too bad she was a prodigal child. But come to think of it, its not really Obianuju’s fault that she doesn’t take care of her family, its not her fault at all, she was being sincere with them, she doesn’t really have money, even though she lives in a posh house, drives a car, wearz expensive materials, she does not have money, Obianuju does not have dime in her account, her account is always full at the end of every month but before the twinkle of an eye, the account becomes empty.

Less I forget, Obianuju works in a bank, she’s a banker even the cashiers call themselves banker. Obianuju was a cashier in Zenith bank, earning 80k monthly, are you surprised she’s earning so much but she doesn’t take care of her parent? Obianuju is not married, she doesn’t have a kid to cater for, her fiancee also works in the same bank earning the same 80k monthly. Obianuju has responsibilities, yes, she has responsibilities and that’s the reason why she doesn’t take care of her poor parent. Don’t you know her responsibilities are the posh 2 bedroom flat she’s living, the car she drives, her hair, her clothes, her shoes. The least amount of shoes Obianuju rocks to the office worth 20k, her shirts cost 8k, she does TM lewin, she spends more than 7k on her hair alone and to cap it all the car she drives worth over 1million naira. Obianuju is always complaining of being broke because before her salary is paid into her account, 40k has been deducted from her salary, the deducted 40k is for the car she bought on loan. The company deducts 40k from her salary every month for the car, sometimes they even deduct more than 40k and she’s to pay up within 24 months. Well, after the company has deducted 40k, she still has 40k in her account, out of this 40k, she would buy foodstuff, she would pay her debts cos everything she wears or bought was on debts, from her hair, her shoes and clothes, she would also buy fuel for her car, she would subscribe on DSTV and her blackberry, at the end of the day she doesn’t have anything left in her account to save, even the money sef won’t be enough to pay up her debt. Most times from her fiancee borrow her money after they are both paid salaries, there was a time her father was hospitalized, it was her fiancee that borrowed her 20k out of his own salary. Her fiancée would complain about her lifestyle, but she won’t listen, she calls herself independent girl, big girl and above all she’s a banker. Her fiancee doesn’t even have a car and he still lives with his parent. What a pity!

Do you think it is Obianuju’s fault that she doesn’t take care of her parent who sold their television set at a time her father was retrenched just to pay her school fees? Is it her fault her parent and siblings still lives in a single room in Ebutte metta while she lives in a 2 bedrooms flat in Magodo estate? Fake lifestyle has eaten up Obianuju, she doesn’t believe what she was doing was wrong, she believes she is living the life of a banker. If you see Obianuju physically with all she’s got, you would think she’s earning millions or even call her the bank manager not knowing that she’s an empty vessel. Not all that glitters is gold…..

*****THE END*****

PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU ENJOYED THE STORY