Dad had sent me to the bank one
day to pay in some money. I got dressed by 9am and walked into a branch of the
UBA bank around my neighbourhood. On entering the bank, there was this long
queue of customers waiting to be attended to. I quickly grabbed a teller and
walked to the last person on the queue. 'Good morning Ma, you're the last
person on the queue right?' the woman turned to me and pointed to a group of
old women sitting close to the customer care service... 'They’re behind me' I
acknowledged and joined the line hoping to outsmart the old women.
After some minutes I was
getting close to the front of the counter when the old women walked into the
queue, angry customers behind me shouting and swearing 'because you're old
you'll just come and chance somebody', 'why did you let them enter your front?'
it's your chance they're using'.....
The first old woman got to
the counter and was having a little argument with the cashier, the other two
joined her and they were all arguing. Soon enough customers started
complaining.
The cashier, a young Yoruba man
in his early 30's called me and said "please, help me. I don't understand
what mama is saying". Then I asked the woman what she wanted and she
started speaking igbo "asima yem ofu akp'ego na mbiribo nime ego Chijioke
nwam ziyem n'afo gara aga" (I said he should give me N300 from the money
my son Chijioke sent for me last year...) I had to hold myself from laughing,
who would tell mama that she can't get N300 via counter...lol
I told the cashier and he
checked her account details on his computer only to discover that mama's
account has been blocked! Hehe... who would translate that to mama? I passed my
teller to the cashier and soon enough I was walking out of the bank premises
while mama and her friends were still at the counter.... I couldn't begin to
imagine the stress she would go through to get her account to be active again.
Talk more of registering her sim card when most of this old people don't even
know their number by heart.... bottom line is go to school when you can and be
willing to learn.
I guess i've passed my message...
©Savvy A.R.C
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