The Kobo That Saved a Life
Tunde was broke. Not “no money for data” broke. I mean “counting kobo to buy gala” broke. Every night he’d empty his pockets: 3 naira, 5 naira, 2 naira. He’d curse and throw them in an old Milo tin. “What’s 10 naira gonna do?” he’d say.
His friend Segun laughed at him. “Guy, just spend it. That kobo can’t buy anything.” Tunde kept dropping them in the tin anyway. Habit.
One rainy Tuesday, Tunde’s younger sister Aisha fell sick. Fever was high. Mama rushed her to the chemist but the drugs were 1,450 naira. Mama had 1,400. She was short 50 naira. The chemist man said, “No complete money, no drugs.”
Tunde ran home in the rain. He grabbed the Milo tin and poured it on the bed. 3 naira, 5 naira, 2 naira, 10 naira. Coins everywhere. He counted with shaking hands. 47 naira... 48... 49... 50. Exactly 50 naira.
He ran back to the chemist, paid the 50 kobo, got the drugs. Aisha recovered in 2 days.
After that, Segun stopped laughing. Tunde still kept the Milo tin. But now he called it “My Emergency Fund.” Small things he ignored became the thing that saved his sister.
*Moral: Don’t despise small beginnings. What looks like “useless kobo” today can be “life-saving grace” tomorrow.* 🪙
