Money Made Me Do It

The Lie I Told with My Chest Years ago, when I got my first “real” job, I told my friends I was earning ₦250k. It wasn’t true. I was earning ₦120k gross. After tax and pension, my take-home was about ₦103,000. But I rounded it up, doubled it, and said it confidently. Why the lie, you may ask? I don't know or maybe I do. Nobody wants to be the broke friend. Especially when everyone else is talking about remote jobs in dollars, tech gigs, and “soft life.” So, when someone in our group chat asked, “ How much are they paying you at that law firm? ” I panicked. “ Not bad oh, around ₦250k,” I replied, pretending it was nothing. My chest was tight. Living the Lie The lie started small, Just one extra zero. But soon, it had me in a chokehold. Now, I was expected to pick Uber over Danfo. They invited me to lounge on the Island like I was earning foreign currency. Once, I borrowed money to buy a dress for a birthday dinner because someone said, “ With your salary, you fit afford am nau.” Th...