The Last 500 Naira
Mama Ngozi sold akara by the roadside in Lagos. Business was slow that week. Rain every day, no customers.
Thursday night she counted her money. 500 naira left. That was for tomorrow’s beans, oil, and transport. Her son needed textbook money on Friday too — 2,000 naira.
She prayed small prayer before sleeping:
_“God, if it had not been for your grace... Ore ofe sha ni mo ri gba o.
If it had not been for your mercy... Aanu sha ni mo ri gba o”_
Friday morning she fried the last batch of akara with the 500. By 10am, rain started again. No one came.
12pm, a danfo stopped. A man rushed out, drenched. “Mama, give me 20 wraps of akara. I’m taking it to my office.”
She was confused. “Oga, rain dey o.”
He said, “My boss said anyone that can still fry in this rain has God’s hand on them. Pack everything.”
He paid her 5,000 naira and said “keep the change.”
That evening she bought beans, oil, paid the textbook, and still had food for the weekend.
She sat down that night and sang quietly:
_“Grace, Grace, Ore ofe sha ni o...
Mercy, Mercy, Aanu ni mo ri gba o”_
Sometimes grace shows up as one customer in the rain.
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