EXTORTION FROM PARENTS

When people will be complaining of lack of money and other problems

I would be smiling inside of me, knowing that I cannot get broke

My money always flowed in and the signs were obvious on my body

I dressed so properly and I looked FLY

People wondered on my source of income because I was not working at the moment

I would enter any public place and make sure my impact was felt.

I ate to my satisfaction and bought for others

I did not download movies as usual but went to the cinema repeatedly

I lived the life of pure luxury and nothing else mattered

At this point, some of you reading would be thinking I was involved in blood money

It was not that

It is the normal student’s scheme

The scheme of gaining money from parents through things that concerned school

From textbooks to practical to hand-outs to departmental dues

To the main source of money, SCHOOL FEES

In primary school and secondary school, parents would go up and down to deposit the school fess for proper accountability and maybe teach their wards the method.

As children continue to advance in age, the act of going to the school or the bank to make payments turns out to be stressful.

Some even let their wards or children to begin the payments right from primary school.

But no matter how tough a parent might seem to be, they would get tired in the university level.

And the child at the level must have developed the love for money.

At the sight of money, all the senses in the human body seems to work with a huge amount of speed and agility.

Money as the Bible quotes is truly the root of all evil.

When I was in primary school, if I am given 100 Naira, it would blow my mind instantly and I would invest the money in the nearest kiosk to buy chewing gums and lollipops.

But as I grew, so did the love for extra charges grew, As I was about finishing primary school, 100 Naira could no longer have much of an effect in my life and my demands grew too.

Then 1000 Naira could do the job perfectly. I would purchase surprise bags for my fellow female classmates and other irrelevant items.

I advanced into Secondary school and got to meet new people, from new backgrounds and they had new and different mindsets. I related with them and my reasoning changed with time.

I got exposed to what money could do.

Then I began to understand the true value of money. Money could solve almost everything and avert many problems that I entered.

I reached Senior Secondary in which everyone had to step up their game.

You had to be neat, have polished shoes and the rest.

Then I came to full realization, that a life without money is horrifying.

So at that moment, I began to live the Life of Incentives and pure Extortion.

I began to add little by little to things that we were told to bring in school.

I was very cautious and I was believed when I mentioned any price.

From projects to books and little payments. The life was not so bad after all and I suddenly began to be comfortable.

I took the life into University and my chances seemed to multiply. Universities had lots of requirements which made extorting way easier.

University opened the gateway of extortion very wide than I had imagined.

Which parent would want to be running around to make payments on a daily basis? From JAMB issues to WAEC, to submitting of bio data and others.

Every single thing in the University required payments in different means and portals.

And with the way parents seek for admission, if you actually got in, they would not hesitate to give whatever was demanded. So the life was as easy as by just making a short speech of what you needed.

I was privileged to study a favorable course and I did the necessary screening and I began lectures in due time.

Here books were purchased in a different format than secondary school, back in school everything would be paid at once, but here you would buy from different sources so I could add prices to every single item.

That was catchy and increased my greed.

I added incentives on every single thing and I began to have a lot of money. Now that brings us to the beginning of this adventure.

I was stable financially as a student and had no single worries.

I bought expensive items and went for outings any time I was free. I even stopped doing assignments when I knew I would pay in the morning and everything would be done.

Life was situated in my hands.

But one thing about the life we are living is that

Karma always has its way

It will always catch up with you and the way and method that it would catch up with you would leave you speechless and having nothing to do to correct it.

I already assumed that this source of money would take me till I finished the university but my vision ended before it came to actualization.

First semester had ended, the long holidays came quickly and came to a wrap

Then second semester came too, I used it to gain lots of money concerning the school and there was no repercussion.

But the moment that brings a lot of money is the beginning of a new level in which every single thing has to be renewed.

So it was time to prepare for second semester, I had to buy new clothes, new shoes, textbooks and PAY MY FEES.

The last time, it was my Dad that paid, so for me to enjoy my usual profit, I had to make the payment this time around.

The spirit of embezzlement began to whisper again.

I refused to learn from what happened when I tried to embezzle fuel.

I knew this particular one would work out.

I had grown up so convincing my Dad to pay the fees was quite easy and I added additional 15k on the fees. My fear was if he found out about the sudden increase but luckily for me, he was too busy to spot the mistake.

He quickly made the transfer to my account and told me to go and clear myself. I made a comprehensive list of things I desired for the semester and also gave it to him.

Then the concerning food and renewal of rent, I handed over to my Mom.

They reviewed and gave me the money I summed up.

The profit I had was very much and was approximately half of hundred thousand.

But Laziness came upon me and I didn’t pay the fees
I invested the money in an online Ponzi and I planned on using the profit to arrange my fees and every other thing.

The Ponzi did not pay, but I still had hope

My money cannot go like that, it’s not possible.

I entered into a scam and they took all the money I had

I was stranded to the core, but I was not worried, I believed that I would get the money before time.

Days turned to weeks

Weeks turned to months.

Then examination time came
And without evidence of payment you will not be allowed to write, I had a very huge problem now and I had no way to solve it.

I tried to borrow money but everyone I approached were either broke or not willing to give.

I began to make calls, but none of them proved futile.

I was breaking down, if I wanted asking my parents, they would find out the real price of my fees and it is going to be my end.

They must not find out at all, so I tried to get a loan from the bank.

It still did not work out.

A day to my first examination came, and I did not pay yet, but I had a dubious backup plan.

I faked a receipt and went as far as to get the school stamp on my clearance card.

Then I went for the examination.

I still do not know how they caught me, but I was caught.

Dragged out like a criminal, by the security officer.

To reduce the shame, I removed and handed it over to him so he could handle me with care and not arise suspicion.

I was taken straight to an office where My Dad was contacted.

This was the worst of the worst

I had met my doom, I would be exposed in front of the whole school

I would be a trend and example to my fellow scams

I bowed my head while begging in the office

Within twenty minutes, Dad got into the office and asked what was going on

Before I could explain, one of the securities gave him a quick summary of what happened.

My Dad reacted quite mature and did not hit me and slap me

He did not even look towards my direction

He asked how much the fees cost and the amount he got did not tally with what I gave him

He still kept his cool and immediately transferred the money

Allowing me to go and write my paper

I was released with few people knowing what happened

I could not write anything throughout the examination

I just imagined what awaited me at home and I was unstable

I could not use earphones, listen to music or even joke

I was in my most sober state

Immediately I stepped in, He was seated in the parlor, tapping his feet and looking at me

With my Mom beside him giving me that African Mother’s stare

I knew I fucked up real bad

I just knelt down and awaited death

He stood up and went to his room and did not come out
Mom did not answer me, thereby leaving me in a very scared and confused state

I couldn’t eat, I tried begging my mum telling her that it was the Devil’s handwork

She forgave me, but Dad refused to see me.

I hate stress, so I went to sleep straight away

But Dads work in mysterious ways, he came around midnight and began to beat me

It was dark and I had no idea on what was happening but I could feel objects touching me

I stood up and ran towards the light switch and put it on

To see my Dad with a belt and stick

He even said that if I move I would cease to be his son

I stood there and he beat the living daylight out of me

I slumped and woke up in an unknown place in which I was receiving treatment

I was beaten to unconsciousness

And that is how I lost the avenue of collecting money from Dad

He does it only voluntarily

He pays everything about me, from transport to fees.

In my next life I doubt I would ever extort money again.