Never Again!

When I was a little girl there was always this mad woman I saw constantly around where we lived. She was called “Iya Dangbe”. Word around then was that she had not always been mad right from time. People said she was a very rich business woman who sold clothes, jewellery and other items. They said she sold items to some of her customers on credit and her problems started when someone who owed her a lot of money refused to pay and instead made her mad.

Fast forward to 200 level, when I was still in school; this was about 3 years ago. I lent a guy 30,000 naira. I did not know him personally but someone “over – vouched” for him (If there’s anything like that). She did not even have to talk too much because before then, I knew him as a leader. He had different core leadership roles and responsibilities. Someone you would consider as totally responsible from the different roles he played. Alas there was something called role playing.

It wasn’t a case of I had too much money as that was almost all I had and 30k was a  very big deal to me ooo. But his explanation was that he needed the money urgently for blah, blah and blah (one touching story like that) and that he would pay back in the next 1 week. If only I had known that 1 week was 3 years and counting *crying*…lol

Like you would have guessed already, this post is about unrepentant debtors, people who borrow money from you with no intention of paying back. People that ask you to quickly borrow them 100 naira to buy boli and suddenly develop amnesia the next day. People whose phone work perfectly when they want some money from you and suddenly develop network problem when it is payback time. People who borrow money but wait until you ask before paying back.

One question I have still been unable to crack till date is why people suddenly become irresponsible when you lend them money. Like lending them money is the gate pass to the irresponsibility circus. Puppy faced individuals at the point of lending money suddenly become monsters and sworn enemies. Some even go to the extent of amassing pity for themselves and soiling your reputation or even harming you like in Iya Dangbe’s case.

I was speaking with someone about my experience and all I got was – “Sorry baby! Unrepentant debtors have been trending before 1960”. Choi!!! So how can we curb this trend? How can we ensure that people pay back? The simple solution I had to learn the hard way is this. Never lend out money. If absolutely necessary, only give out what won’t give you sleepless nights, if it doesn’t come back to you.

After months of trying to get my money from him I had to free o jere! I was tired of all the unanswered phone calls and flimsy excuses - “am at the bank right now but the door is closed because its 1 min past 4, I have not been paid, my neighbour’s dog just bit me”, etc.

However the lesson I learned, I learned for life. Never again will I meddle into the lending business.

So do you think people pay promptly when they lend money or has your experience been hell? Have you discovered any proven technique of collecting your money back from die hard unrepentant debtors? Please share J