Tough Experience During Cashless Economy

Tough Experience During Cashless Economy

We all have different bank experiences and ways of tackling them. Mine was the funniest type and the type which got me crazy. I would never forget this day and would always live to correct the mistake I made.

During the cashless economy when the new naira notes were surfacing facing out the old naira notes, so many things happened making so many people go hungry. Most people were starving to death. Money is the only thing that can push life forward and when it becomes scarce, terrible things would begin to happen.

Banks were scarcely dispensing cash as there was limited cash in the banks. Politicians, on the other hand, have used their powers to withdraw all the little money we were supposed to take from the banks. So many people have hundreds and thousands as well as millions of naira, but we're unable to withdraw their cash just to feed ourselves. So many POS agents used this as an advantage to extort the little we had to withdraw. They were cutting our heads with axes as well as piercing our hearts with arrows, making our pockets bleed with unwanted spending.

Yan Krukau

Imagine withdrawing #1000 to lose 500 to the POS agents. This was beyond reasonable. They use this advantage to make a hell of money in their bank account. No one was even able to take their money to the bank instead of using it to trade. Imagine trading money for money.

This fateful day, banks were opened, and I had just a thousand naira left as cash at hand. I had some amount in the bank which I must withdraw to cater to the house needs. We just prepared the last five cups of rice, hoping to buy half a bag after going to the bank, but the reverse was the case. My wife told me to go as early as possible, but being so adamant and wanting to just listen to what my mind says, I ignored her words.

I was thinking people would be in their various houses still sleeping and had to wait until 9 am when the bank opened. When it was eight, I proceeded to smile to the bank to withdraw my money as those selling foodstuffs would not accept transfers and even the network was somehow so terrible. As I got to the bank, my eyes could not believe what I saw. From the gate to the doorstep was flooded with people, just like the ants' lines. They had taken their respective numbers. I was short of words as the bank would be closing by 2 pm. Even the numbers collected would not get exhausted before the closing time.

I just took a number, which was the 1890 position. I sat by the roadside waiting for the line to move, but then it was not. Likewise, I wanted to beg the one ahead, but those behind me would not accept, as each of us was facing the same problem in our respective homes. Not only that, but I was not ready to call my wife to give her the update, as she had told me earlier to go to the bank on time. When she was tired of waiting, she called. Initially, I was not ready to answer her calls, but I wouldn't want her to get bothered, I later told her what was happening. She gave me the best answer one would give to her husband, “That is good for you”. But then, my children would be hungry before that time.

After checking, the line was reduced as some people were leaving as they were tired of waiting. My number later dropped to 1097. I was still not satisfied. When it was 1:30 pm, my number dropped to 220. I was helpless and could not wait any longer. Instead, I went home defeated.

I wished I listened to my wife, I wouldn't have stayed that long. Thank God we had some garri left, which we managed with the dried fish my wife was supposed to sell. We had to use those fish to prepare the soup.

This is not a good story to tell. It is good to listen to instructions from your partners, as this can help you a lot.