Chinaza Ezugwu @china

I was on my own, trying to read up on some books for the exam we were preparing for, when a friend messaged me about a new update. He mentioned a particular website/app that promised to pay in dollars, specifically small dollars with minimal and non-strained tax rates. Curious, I decided to hop on it and see if it would actually work. Usually, these new websites that pop up and start paying immediately seem like scams to me, based on my past experiences.

However, after I signed up, it wasn't even five minutes before I received a notification: $2 credited to my OKX wallet. I was intrigued. Eager to explore this further, I started looking for ways to make more money from this particular website.

So, immediately, I started acquiring data and created an extra account on my OKX wallet. I made the attempt for the first time, but the money was showing as "pending." At first, I thought it wouldn’t work, but after about five minutes, I received another notification $2 dropped into my wallet. That motivated me even more.

I decided to inform some of my friends about this opportunity, encouraging them to tag along and try claiming some money too. Together, we were able to claim about $8 from this particular app, which felt like a great experience. We were fortunate that we got in before the whole promo was shut down. I ended up making the highest amount at $8, while my friends made between $4 to $6. It was kind of a fantastic day better going from reading to earning dollars. What could be better?

It was just one of the regular Sundays, and I had returned exhaustively from church after spending several hours there. After lying alone for a bit, I had planned to cook, but I was so tired and felt fatigued that I decided to visit my cousin, who had prepared some good food for us. I went there with hope.

I tried calling her several times, but she wasn’t picking up. I was anticipating that, hopefully, she might have some food remaining to share. I hastened my steps, ignoring my neighbor, who was a good person and someone I was supposed to inform before leaving my room. But I didn’t, because I was stubborn and more focused on getting some food.

I had not eaten since morning, and spending all that time in church made things even harder. Finally, I arrived at my cousin's place, and thank God! She had prepared some African salad (abacha).

I slept so deeply yesterday after completing my daily routine and night chores. I took a warm bath, feeling exhausted, and drifted off into a heavy slumber. When I woke up in the morning, I was met with a sickness that took me by surprise. I felt so weak that I could barely extend my hands.

My joints ached, My bones felt like they were broken and my muscles were weak. I couldn’t do anything for myself and lay in bed, whimpering softly, like a child in pain. Headache clouded my thoughts, making it nearly impossible for me to focus.

Just getting up to brush my teeth felt like an impossible task. Finding something to eat felt equally challenging as if each small movement was a fight. Someone who was strong before sleep and took for granted my health just the day before.

In my state, I reached out to my neighbor, hoping he could help me buy some medication. He informed me that he was heading to church, and that’s when it hit me that I had completely lost track of time and missed church service myself. The reality of my sickness weighed heavily on me.

As the minutes ticked by and no one came to my aid, I realized I couldn’t wait any longer. Picking up the smallest of strength, I decided to go out and get the drugs myself. It was quite a distance, but somehow, I pushed through. With determination, I made the journey to the pharmacy and back, feeling a mix of tiredness and heightened headache.

Once home, I took the medication and managed to eat some fruits which was the only thing in my stomach from morning until evening. My stomach felt empty, and I longed for real food, but my body was too weak to handle anything heavy.

Yesterday was my best friend's birthday, and earlier, her elder sister had called me to help plan a wonderful surprise for her. I collaborated with her sister to create an exciting and fitting surprise for my best and closest friend. They felt like sisters to me, and I always felt very comfortable around them. Both their mother and father, along with their other siblings, treated me as one of their own. In fact, they made me feel incredibly special whenever I visited. Their mother often came to visit me as well.

Our friendship had not only brought us closer but also turned our families into a friendly, extended family. The bond we shared meant so much to all of us. So, I went to help plan the birthday surprise yesterday morning, deciding to visit randomly without prior notification.

When I arrived, my friend was suspicious about why I would visit so early in the morning, especially since I had mentioned I would be busy that day. I had to quickly come up with an excuse to dodge her questions. I then turned to our older sister and offered to accompany her to the market, which kept my friend from suspecting anything.

At the market, we gathered everything we needed for the surprise: a special cake, some festive decorations, and a money bouquet. It was just awesome! When we returned, we made sure to keep my friend distracted while we set up and decorated her room.

When we finally brought her in, it was a shock to her eyes, she was startled at the loads of surprises, all she could do was shout, and jump in joyful celebration. She was utterly amazed and so happy and I’m truly grateful to have her in my life.

My family people never cooked coconut rice while I was growing up; it was just never on our menu. I often heard rumors about people preparing it, and during visits to some aunts and uncles, I would sample their coconut rice. Though I didn’t fancy it very much, it wasn’t bad at all. It had a certain classiness about it, tasted nice, and felt a little simpler compared to the spiced richness of Jollof rice or the vegetables in fried rice.

Growing up, I never got around to asking my mum why she hadn’t cooked coconut rice for the family. But as I learned more about cooking, the curiosity to try making it myself grew stronger. So, I finally decided to experiment with coconut rice.

I went to the market, determined to gather everything I needed. I asked a friend to explain how to cook it for me, eager to get started on this dish
So I began to cook it, following the same procedures that she had given me on WhatsApp. I was cooking and cooking, and the aroma I was getting was similar to the one from coconut rice that I had tasted elsewhere. But then, after I took my pot off the heat, I went down the street and bought a bottle of drink to make the meal a bit more interesting.
As I took my first bite from the spoon, I hated rice for the first time in my life. I just hated rice in general because the cooking had gone so badly, and it even tasted bitter.
In this current economy, I had to waste the pot of rice, I can't get over the pain.

I noticed that my auntie was having chronic hair loss. The hair that framed her face was almost gone, and she was starting to go bald. For a lady to be growing bald was so awkward, so I decided immediately that I should help her. After I touched her head and hinted at my concern, she asked me, as a science student, if I knew something that could help her regrow her hair. I told her yes with all the confidence I could muster, but deep down, I didn’t really know. That was the spoiler.

Instead of allowing her to think I was dumb or not well educated, I decided to Google it. After all, what do we have the internet and AI tools for? I quickly searched for natural remedies for hair regrowth. When I was done, I came up with several options, and she decided to try them for about a week. To our surprise, her hair began to grow back! It was wonderful to see her confidence returning along with her hair.

She called me on the phone that she was noticing traces of hair, but she wasn't sure because it had taken some days to grow. It didn't seem like she was almost clearly bald in those areas on her head, but she was noticing some growth, and she was telling me that my remedy prescription was effective. Although I couldn't help but just smile at myself, I had now invented what I didn't. Now I've gotten some sort of respect from her, and she called me almost every two days to ask about my welfare. She had even sent me about #10,000 for my school support, which she had never done, and I appreciate it. This was simply done, and this favor was simply gained just because I looked up some things that are on Google and on AI, thanks to Google.

I was in the market to get some gadgets. My mother had sent me on a mission to help her pick up a few items. As I entered the market, I wasn’t expecting the kind of crowd I saw inside. It was just too many people blocking the way; the entrance was packed, and everywhere felt crowded. To maneuver just a short distance, one will have to push almost for an hour.

As I made my way through the bustling crowd, I overheard a vendor enthusiastically demonstrating a new gadget. "This one has the best camera!" he exclaimed, showcasing a sleek phone. I paused for a moment, intrigued, and made a mental note to check it out later.

Continuing on, I noticed a group of friends gathered around a booth, laughing and sharing their finds as they picked goodlooking cloths from a cloth stand. The seller was calling out a cheap price for each and i was almost tempted to go check for my sizes, but I hadnt come out with my own money, I needed to find what my mother wanted and get home before it got too late.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I reached a store that had everything on my mother’s list. I picked up a few gadgets, my arms now full, and began to make my way back through the market, another hour of struggling through the crowd.

As I left the market, I couldn’t help but wonder if I ever behold such number of people in any market before

Aftershocks I traveled from my hometown to school, I made a decision to avoid the local food around the area. I had heard stories about the negative repercussions of eating it, and my previous experiences told me it didn’t sit well with me. However, I noticed some of my colleagues, who also came from the outskirts of the community, enjoying their local meals and claiming how delicious they were. It was evident they were genuinely savoring every bite, but I remained hesitant, particularly about trying Okpa that was exceptionally popular in the region.

One fateful day, a neighbor cooked Okpa and brought some over for us to share. The aroma traveled through the air, making it impossible for me to resist. That day, I decided to finally give it a try. I took my first bite, and I must admit, it was incredible. The texture and flavor were unlike anything I had experienced before, and before I knew it, I found myself eating more than everyone else at the table.

But as the night wore on, I began to feel uneasy. I couldn’t shake the growing discomfort in my stomach. The satisfaction of trying something new quickly turned into anxiety and restlessness.

I had replied to a WhatsApp status of my very good friend the night before I slept off. Waking up the following morning, I saw an urgent message. It was like she was in an emergency and needed a way out. She had pleaded that I send her 15,000 Naira, and I wondered what condition must have prompted her to request money that way.

I immediately decided to help my good friend, so I transferred a sum of 10,000 Naira. She was very appreciative about it, and then she wrote another very good and alluring write-up, claiming that she would refund back soonest and that she wouldn't have asked me for the money if it wasn't urgent, and that I should send her an extra 5,000 Naira.

I was yet to process the second transaction when a call came, letting me know that I had been in contact with a scammer and not with my friend Chik's. "Chik's Whatsapp account was hacked at night", the voice said
Feeling utterly defeated, I spent the day replaying the events in my mind. How could I have been so trusting? I thought about all the times my friend had been there for me, and now I was left feeling betrayed by a faceless scammer. I struggled through my daily activities, my thoughts clouded by frustration and regret. I reached out to my actual friend, hoping to confirm the situation and perhaps find some solace. When she replied, confirming that her account had indeed been hacked, I felt a mix of relief and anger.

It wasn't her fault, but I felt like a victim of my own good intentions. I decided to take action reporting the incident to WhatsApp and warning others in my circle about the danger of allowing themselves get deceived like I was.