THE STING FROM OPay

Life was very normal until OPay premiered into my locality
It was the greatest salvation that I had ever come across.
Not just me but for a lot of people.
It saved me from stress, normal expenses and it was a bit classy.

For those that do not know what "OPay" does, let me give you a quick breakdown.

There are like a company that diversify in several branches to help people
Which includes loans, business setups, transportation and the rest.
But my main focus was on transportation.


And what really drew my attention was their OTrike services.
As I narrate this ordeal, The stigma of today's experience will remain evergreen in my memory.

OTrike made life easy by making all rides within my city for just N70 which was way too cheap.

I didn't believe it at first and I presumed it was a scam but with time, it domineered the whole state.
Places I usually go to for up to N500, OTrike made the journey possible for just N70.

I used their services for the first time and it was so smooth.
The driver would pick up your call, locate you and drop you safely at any designated spot.

I refused to tell my parents so my allowances for transport will remain constant.
I began to get profit from it and used the profit to buy things that did not have worth.

Someone told me that the sliced price was just a promo and the prices would rise later.
But I didn't consider it, I began to use it and referred as much people as possible.

If I knew that the promo was ending today, I would have used the normal method of transport.
But my greed didn't allow me to focus at all.

I woke up quite late this morning, and I was quite lazy to do anything useful.
I wanted to continue sleeping but my Mother did not agree to that.
She told me to rise up and began her normal speech of how I am grumpy and if I continue with my lazy life I would die broke.

I did not pay attention to her speech because I experienced it on a daily basis and I went straight to the kitchen to eat something. I usually wake up naturally hungry.

There was no food but yet there were dirty dishes, meaning I woke up so late that I missed breakfast.
I asked for my meal and she told me when I start waking up early.
Then I would receive breakfast.

I took Golden morn with water and went to continue my slumber.
She came back and told me to sweep and tidy the house.
I did just that and went back to sleep.

But normal African parents are uncomfortable seeing their child rest.
You got to move around to appease them.

She told me to bath and get dressed to deliver a package to her friend.
The distance to her friend's house was very far and would require me to enter up to five different vehicles and the sun was on it's worst behaviour.

I was in no place to argue so I agreed and I moved to bath reluctantly.
I didn't want to go for the errand but then I recalled that OPay could take me there with just N70.
I smiled and knew what I had to do.

I was happy and I began to imagine the things I would buy with the profit.
I shared it into my betting, data and credit for my ladies.

She gave me the wrappers and some documents with N1,500 for my transport to go and return.

I had 200 naira in my OPay wallet and that would be enough for the whole journey. I dressed up properly so I could equally impress my mum's friend daughter, Aisha.
Then I switched on my data to book the ride.

Opening the app, some pop-ups came up which was usual.
But there was a pop-up which I skipped that I wasn't meant to.
The pop-up was to announce about the ending of the promo but I skipped it.

I ordered the ride as usual and chose where i would stop.
In no time, a driver picked up and I told him to wait at my usual spot I normally used for my pickup.


I bought some soft bread and drink to take me through the journey.
I gave my barber the remaining cash to fix some soccer odds and he would transfer the rest for me later so I could do my online transactions.

I entered the tricycle, plugged in my headphones and began to cruise away.
The driver tried talking to me but I was already vibing to some tunes.
We drove and drove.
I told him to stop by and I bought extra drinks and popcorn on the way.

Then we continued going forth.
The road to Mum's friend home wasn't motorable so I had to stop ahead and trek inside.

I reached the nearest stop to her home and I told the driver I would be stopping.
I came down and removed my phone to make the payment.

Then the app read N1,100.
The shock was extravagant but I asked the driver if it was right.
My pulse ceased to function at the moment.

I assumed the app was faulty and forgot about the price.

The driver told me that was the correct price I had to pay when I had just 200 in my wallet and no money in my bank account.

He said that he told me the new price and I nodded my head in response.
He didn't know I was nodding my head to the music I was listening to.
I told him, "Sir, I got just N70".
The look he gave me was pretty scary and he came down from his tricycle and walked towards me.

He told me, "Don't joke with me".

He was a very rough guy and walked towards me to ask how much I was paying.

I swallowed like 17 pints of spit and said, "Am paying N70 because I didn't know".
And I started to walk away.
I didn't go far until I felt a strong touch on my shoulder.

I fell down and turned to see what hit me.
It was the driver and he was furious.
I tried to explain to him but his eyes were red with anger.

He explained that if I don't pay, it would be on him.
I said, "Sir, it is your problem".
This pushed him to the edge and he gave me a slap that swept me off my feet.

I started speaking our local dialect and begged him.
He held me by my shirt and told me to pay up.

This created a scene and people came trooping in.
After all my dressing I was embarrassed and ashamed at the moment.
I took out my phone and began to plead with my contacts via WhatsApp all to no avail.

My barber had the guts to bet with all the money I gave him.

I then took out my phone to take an online loan which they asked for my BVN and card number which i didn't have.

I was stranded in the middle of the street, kneeling down beside a tricycle with no money to pay up.
Tears were in my eyes and I was shivering in the hands of the driver.

The last option was to call my Mom and face prosecution...
But I would prefer death than to call home for help.
It would expose all my deeds and cause problems I won't be able to solve.

I began to beg the driver that I will pay immediately I get an alert.
As we were arguing, I suddenly saw Aisha coming from far and she asked me what I was doing there.

I told her that I had issues. She said that her Mom was waiting for me since.
She saw the situation and transferred money for me to pay up.
I was happy but felt a bit of shame inside me.

I felt ashamed and followed her like a fool.
The driver looked at me and said that it was God that saved me.

I delivered the package but the shame was stuck in me.
I was offered food and drink buy my appetite vanished.
I had to beg Aisha for transport to go back home.

That was the end of my toasting towards her.
She knows my financial status and her friends will hear about it.

OPay is a good service but I ain't using it anymore.
I'll make use of the legs that God gave to me efficiently.