A Kenyan number called me on WhatsApp and the guy on the other end said he was calling from the East African Public Relations Association group to inform me about a meeting happening at 7 p.m. Kenyan time.
Immediately, I knew something was off and I switched to Pidgin.
“Why you dey do this kain thing?” I asked. “I follow dey dat group. If meeting wan happen, dem go send notice. I know sey you no be Kenyan because even your accent be like Benin boy own. I know sey you be Nigerian. I no know as u take get Kenyan number, but dis ting wey u dey do, e no good at all.”
The guy laughed and said “Ah, u don catch meeeee!”
I replied, “before nko, how I no go catch u?”
We both laughed.
Then he said, “But u know sey hunger dey d country naaa.”
“I know. I gree. Hunger dey evriwia. Even me. I like my job o, but e no dey pay me beta moni. But unto sey e dey put food for my table na why I still dey come office regularly.”
Then I told him something I genuinely meant.
“If I no get work, I go rather sell my body than become thief or fraudster. At least, na my decision and my body. If person call me ashawo tomorrow, I go answer am with my full chest. But I no go want make person call me thief. Dat name fit follow you for life.”
The guy went quiet.
Then he said, “You no lie, mama. If person dey give me dis kind advice, I no for dey do wetin I dey do. I be small boy o... na dis year I go reach 20.”
“Ah, mama, abeg. Make me and you be friends naa. Epp me find job.”
I asked him why he wanted to be my friend.
“Na bcos u dey talk to me like dis. Even if na just dis advice, I go dey collect am from u every day.”
So I told him about my younger brother, XXXXX, who is into music and runs an academy for people interested in singing, production and all that.
“Google am,” I told him.
He did.
“Ah! Na dis guy be your brother! Osalobua! Mama, I sabi sing o!”
I told him I could introduce him, but the scamming had to stop.
Before we ended the call, he promised that his next message to me would be from his personal number.
And you know what? I hung up feeling strangely happy.
I answered a scam call but somewhere in that conversation, I realised I may have reached a 20-year-old boy who simply needed someone to tell him that hunger is not an excuse to lose yourself.
Sometimes, you really don't know whose life you might touch just by choosing to be kind.
I hope i touched his mind deeply enough so that after getting off the phone with me, he does not make another scam call….I hope so!!!
“Why you dey do this kain thing?” I asked. “I follow dey dat group. If meeting wan happen, dem go send notice. I know sey you no be Kenyan because even your accent be like Benin boy own. I know sey you be Nigerian. I no know as u take get Kenyan number, but dis ting wey u dey do, e no good at all.”
The guy laughed and said “Ah, u don catch meeeee!”
I replied, “before nko, how I no go catch u?”
We both laughed.
Then he said, “But u know sey hunger dey d country naaa.”
“I know. I gree. Hunger dey evriwia. Even me. I like my job o, but e no dey pay me beta moni. But unto sey e dey put food for my table na why I still dey come office regularly.”
Then I told him something I genuinely meant.
“If I no get work, I go rather sell my body than become thief or fraudster. At least, na my decision and my body. If person call me ashawo tomorrow, I go answer am with my full chest. But I no go want make person call me thief. Dat name fit follow you for life.”
The guy went quiet.
Then he said, “You no lie, mama. If person dey give me dis kind advice, I no for dey do wetin I dey do. I be small boy o... na dis year I go reach 20.”
“Ah, mama, abeg. Make me and you be friends naa. Epp me find job.”
I asked him why he wanted to be my friend.
“Na bcos u dey talk to me like dis. Even if na just dis advice, I go dey collect am from u every day.”
So I told him about my younger brother, XXXXX, who is into music and runs an academy for people interested in singing, production and all that.
“Google am,” I told him.
He did.
“Ah! Na dis guy be your brother! Osalobua! Mama, I sabi sing o!”
I told him I could introduce him, but the scamming had to stop.
Before we ended the call, he promised that his next message to me would be from his personal number.
And you know what? I hung up feeling strangely happy.
I answered a scam call but somewhere in that conversation, I realised I may have reached a 20-year-old boy who simply needed someone to tell him that hunger is not an excuse to lose yourself.
Sometimes, you really don't know whose life you might touch just by choosing to be kind.
I hope i touched his mind deeply enough so that after getting off the phone with me, he does not make another scam call….I hope so!!!
Imagine!
ReplyDelete20 years old. I pray that GOD should touch him.
You did well Ron, GOD bless you ๐
U did well dear Ron.. GOD wanted to save dat soul from burning tyres thru u. .. E viva.
DeleteEnjoy ur stay.
Hahahaha ๐คฃ๐คฃ All these scammers don't want to work. You did well sis, make he go find work ๐ Enjoy your weekend dear ๐น
ReplyDeleteI'd have love to share a story but.......
ReplyDeleteNice one babe your write up brought back memories of an experience I had years ago.
Choco baby, pls don't hoard gist na ๐ Hope your weekend is cool? ๐ฅฐ
DeleteHi boo I'm doing okay my weekend is chilled enjoying family time . Hope you're doing okay too.
DeleteHe's so lucky . I hope he really turns a new leaf.
ReplyDeleteOn the flip, this your hair is blinding Me oooo I looรณoove it ๐๐๐๐๐
Saying you'll sell your body doesn't make you different from the scammer, you are choosing the wrong that's easy for you to engage in, and he is doing same, but you can choose to disagree ✌๐พ
ReplyDeleteyou think say to sell body easy? may you never see hunger. I wish i can type my story here. you people will just judge like you walk in people's shoe's. metcheeeeew.
DeleteGreat to hear. Your attitude was soothing.
ReplyDeleteYou did well Ron ❤️
ReplyDeleteWell-done
I Just Hope So Tooo
ReplyDeleteCos Scammers Hardly Change ooo
Thank You Ron
This Your Dey Enter My Eyes ๐
Hello Iya Boys
Nive one, Ron. I pray he changes for good because once a scammer...
ReplyDeleteI hope God touches his soul and he turns a new leaf.
ReplyDeleteAbeg Ron u be Benin babe cos that you pigin and osalobua sharp die
Ron don run scammer street.....
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading all your gist this week.