CHRONICLE OF A MARRIED MAN

 Sometimes, too much work is not good!!!

I have this customer. A very hard-working man who worked as a supervisor in a manufacturing company, he is married and had three kids when I met him two years ago. His wife is a private school teacher and also sells snacks with drinks as a side hustle after school.

Early last year, he told me his wife was heavily pregnant. I asked him what he was looking for, he had two boys and one girl. His reply was that married people were bound to get pregnant as long as they gbensh and that children were from God.

 I told him to take his wife for family planning after she gives birth because the economy was not smiling. He said he would do that. This was during the cash scarcity period.

Two months later, they had a set of twins, two girls.
I almost cried for him when he told me because by then, things had already started going side ways in Nigeria.

With five young children to cater for, oga took up an extra job, a security job. He closes from his company job and resumes as security man in a bank. He hardly goes home as he switches shifts. If he is in morning shift in the manufacturing company, he resumes night shift in the bank after closing and vice versa.

The last time I saw him was on the road this past January, on his way to the bank job. He lamented about his health, how he feels dizzy while walking sometimes because he hardly rests and doesn't eat good food since he is always at work. He told me he was saving to send his wife and kids to his village because things are hard for him and his landlord just increased the rent which he cannot afford, he does not have enough money to search for another apartment too, not with the plenty fees that comes with the first payment.

 I told him it's a welcomed idea if that would reduce his stress and improve his health and family's wellbeing. I also told him to take a day or two off work and rest. He told me that was not an option as he needed enough money to transport them to his village and give them some change too for expenses till they settle in and his wife gets something doing. He said he even works on his off days too as he needs the over-time bonus.

My people, news reached me last week that he was seriously sick, had a partial stroke and has been taken to his village together with his wife and kids.

Men, pls rest. Take your wife to the hospital for family planning so that you won't die young while hustling to take care of bills in the home. You may as well do vasectomy on your organ to prevent pregnancy if family planning does not work well on your wife. Stop having kids like you want to sell them for money. Gbensh with sense abeg.

Also, live within your means. Send your children to government schools if the private school fees are affecting your pockets. Live in a cheap but neat apartment that you can afford conveniently. Don't spend on things that don't add value to your pockets apart from basic needs. Stay faithful to your wife, side chick is extra expenses too.

Women, pls stop pressuring your men, if you are on this table. Support and encourage him, help him in managing the home front in such a way that the stress will be reduced and finances will not dry up.
The way people just slump and die these days is alarming, both males and females. Some fall sick and never come out of it.
Let's stay healthy and alive, I know we all will die someday, somehow but let's not invite death prematurely with our own hands.