My deadly "Change" Experience.

I have seen Nigerians complain bitterly on Social media and TV about the stiff, unfavorable and dwindling economy of the nation and how it has resulted into a hike in the market prices of goods but I never took them serious. Probably because I did not have  a first hand experience or  I found it difficult to fathom why the dwindling price of crude oil in the international market would affect the price Musa sells yam to us in my area.

One day, my sister went to the market to get foodstuffs and came back wearing a frown. "What's the matter", mum asked her. "Mum, you won't believe that eggs are now sold N50 in the market, N20 increment,"she retorted.
 "Wetin concern fowl nyash and economy? You know what, next week I will be the one to go buy our foodstuffs, I think they are cheating you because you are a girl.", I cut in immediately. Mum tried to make me understand why prices were on a hike but I insisted that i must go.

The following week, I grabbed the foodstuff budget and marched to the market like a hero on a mission to save his people. I didn't forget to wear a hard look and boldened my voice a little , all In a bid to undermine the foreseen efforts of extortion that will be put by the sellers in the market.

"Hey! Segun, how much be bottle of palm oil?", I asked the seller I saw in the first shop, his name was boldly written on shop. 
"Oga, na N350", he replied. I looked straight into his face and said," You think say I be learner abi, na your papa go come buy the palm oil for N350," I hissed, left for the second shop and met the same price. Having almost gone round all the shops and met the same price for oil; I decided to just settle for one, eggs were even N55 now. 
 "Segun, give me five bottles each of palm oil and groundut oil. A crate of raw eggs and a bag of rice", I demanded, acting as though I didn't come to the shop earlier. "Oga, I bin tell you say all prices for this market na the same, but you no gree hear. We dey even try reduce like N10", he said, then lowered his head a bit and added in a hushed tone, "You never hear say economy bad for this change regime?"
"See, no dey waste my time, pack wetin I tell you say make you pack come"

  Sluggishly, Segun began to  gathere all the food items I demanded. I was irked by  this, as I just wanted to leave immediately. "Bros, dey sharp na, I get better things to go do for house abeg"
My plea fell on a deaf ear, I became so infuriated but what could I do? Absolutely nothing.

 Finally, everything was set to go home except for my balance that I hadn't collected, yet Segun ignored me and had his attention taken away by his phone. I looked at him angrily, observed he was chatting on 2go and smiling. Obviously, he was already oblivious of my presence there, and I felt like slapping him but my instincts objected. Then I shouted out, " My friend give me my CHANGE"

 The next day I woke up on a sickbed in our local hospital. My mum and sister were seating beside me, both looking perturbed and unkempt. Segun was also there, keenly staring at my face. "How do you feel now?", my mum asked. "I feel sharp pains in my head", I replied, and she added," sorry, it will soon subside, you have an idea what happened to you?"
"Uhmmm, Someone gave me a ricocheting slap from behind as soon as I asked Segun for my change, and before I could turn around to understand why, I was hit by another man with a bamboo stick on the head. That's all I remember."
"Oga, for that market them no wan to dey hear that word "change", becos them dey assume say na government workers dey talk am. Them dey vex die with the lie lie government. I bin wan tell you self", Segun cut in.

I learnt a simple lesson in a hard way, and right now I have made up my mind never to go near that market again. If I must buy something that is not nearby, I'd rather  place an order online. I just hope Konga sells egg, Oil and Akpu.

Author: OgaBenji
Based on: satirical fiction

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