I don't know if this is the right place to post this, amybe the mods can help. This post is a bit long, but you need to read it to feel the pain this young girl went through, searching for a house in lagos. Here it is
So I have finally found a house
In an area I've always wanted
How I wanted it too
It just needs a lil work and it will be as perfect as I want it
No church of any kind beside me
No Mosque near me
Just human beings like me and you
Only issue is light but Generator to the rescue
Landlord and Landlady seems nice(pray they remain so)
Everything is near perfect, all thanks to God
.
When I was looking for a house(since middle of February), I didn't want to talk about the main obstacles I was encountering(maybe na my village people dey do me so I no wan talk before dey intensify the 'Uru'). I was just yabbing my account balance and how houses are fucking expensive in the area I wanted to live in.
It wasn't what I expected at all, I spent over 15k in both Agent registration fees and transportation fare still I got nothing. They will collect your money and take you to a pathetic house and you will still transport them(I kept wondering what the 5k I paid was for)
It's either the house is 'ok' but in a rowdy area(heaven knows how I hate such places, home to me, is meant to be a peaceful place you come back to after 'fighting war' with the humans of the world during the day time), rowdy as in Mosque in front(you know most of them live a communal life), a churchministry down the street with people littering the street like Oshodi Market.
OR
It's totally shabby all round. When you complain, the agent will tell you that's what your money can fetch for you, they will be making your hard earned money look like some stack of shit. I had to raise my budget to be able to get something nice yet, I didn't see what I was truly looking for. They told me to raise it some more, I was like 'you guys want me to get a house I can't renew the rent next year Hell nope! I became frustrated
You will see a rat hole that's unfit for any human being to live in, Landlord will use because it's in a good place and open mouth wide like pit toilet and say 400tasan. Mtschew
The very affordable fine houses are very far from my work place and that means I might end up spending much more on transportation (which to me means Penny wise Pounds foolish)
.
Finally I got a call from one of them agents, he said he has something at Obanikoro for me and it's what I have been looking for and the price is within my budget(the new budget of course)
I practically flew to the meet up place with my Agent to meet the 'Principal Agent' in charge of the house, the drama and 'degrading' questioning started.
He first of all asked my Agent that took me to him where am from The guy said am Igbo and he shouted aargh. He made a call to ask someone whether they can accept an Igbo person and they said yes. He said ok let's go. Then he asked me, where is your husband I told him am husbandless but I have a child. He was like why I told him it's not your business and he shut up. He asked again, what I do for a living, I told him, he asked for my ID card and I showed him. Then he started lamenting how they don't like giving houses to women, that we women are troublesome, that we would have several boyfriends; we will collect rent from one and furniture money from the others and when they all jam each other in the house, fight will start and landlord's properties would be destroyed.
I asked him, how many women have you seen men fighting over But me I have seen women fighting each other, tearing bra and pant on top man in his house (very silly something) many times, yet no one is stereotyping these men cause they came with Penis. He said I should calm down that he is just trying to explain what's happening to me, that landlords blames them for such whenever it happens. I told him in as much as I want men to break bottles and fight each other over me , I ain't that silly yet.
He finally took me to the house, it was in a serene estate. An old strong house. Spacious and tiled with just 2 people staying in the compound; the Landlady who is in her early 80s with her house help and one oil worker that's rarely home
.
I fell in love with the place instantly, even though I have a lot of work to do there but it was what I wanted. I loved the environment and the fact I don't have too many neighbors
I told Agent I will pay the next day, he gingered that i should pay that same day, that house waits for no one especially this type. That if someone else pays before me, i shouldn't say he didn't warn me
I told him, I will still pay the next day fa and he let me be.
.
The next day came I told him, oya let's go and meet those in charge. We got there, a form was given to me to fill and I filled it. Oya give me account number, let me goan pay, another series of stories entered (we dragged this for 2hours though)
The man in charge complained about these 2 things(which left me wondering why I was told to come in the first place, its better to get humiliated physically right);
1. Am a single lady
2. Am Igbo
That in fact the principle partner of the firm isn't on seat, that he can't make the decision alone(we all knew he was lying)
He finally opened up and said to me Assumimg you are Yoruba, I would have backed you but you are Igbo
I lost it. I was like am begging you people to take my money As in my hard earned money! And you people are behaving this way and yet here you are claiming you ain't tribalistic, whadahell is your problem Those I came with( the Agent and my friend) were trying to tell him that am responsible, that this Igbo Yoruba thing shouldn't be an issue, that am even a Ghost tenant cause I come back mostly at night. Oga still said he need to talk his partner fes
Ok where is your partner He called him, told him about me and once he mentioned an Igbo, he asked him to tell me to come meet him fes. I said ok, can we go meet him now He said not today but tomorrow by 10am, no wahala we left
.
Next day came, we kept calling this man, he refused to pick. I became more than frustrated. Can you believe that this man didn't pick call till past 4pm He said I should come to Akoka to meet him by 6pm latest according to the agent.
To worsen already broken carmel's back some more, Oga Agent said I will have to pay him extra money on top cause the firm is going to give him only 22k out of the 160k meant for Agreement and Agent fees
I asked him why Why should I pay double Is it my fault that they want to rip you off So I will now suffer for wetin no concern me He said lf I don't agree to pay him extra, those people will never give me the house
I was sad, I was even surprised cry cry baby like me didn't cry. I just told myself I no go again. Let them hold their tribalistic house, after all my Ajah rent never expire and I must have seen something better before it expires. He kept calling and I ignored his calls, at a point he grew tired and stopped
.
I was there wallowing in self pity when something in me, told me to go online and search for mini flats in Gbagada. I came across one platform, paid the 3k I was asked to pay and booked inspection and we went and saw the place at once (in an Ac car o, fuel bought and paid for by the Agent o). Loved it, Landlady saw me and liked me, called the husband in my presence and told him about me and I was accepted immediately. No long stories, I paid the next day and when I was about leaving the compound, my landlady called me and asked my name. I said Celine and she frowned and asked You be Yoruba' I said No. Am Igbo and she said Thank God
.
Ladies and Gentle men, my mouth is still hanging open! My country people have a long way to go! Divide this country make all man go im way, we fucking hate each other!
To all the tribalistic bigots out there, that pic up there is for you! Bleep YOU!
this is the post link http://facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1481673051854056&id=100000341252385&refid=8&ref=opera_speed_dial&_ft_=qid.6406580837867458088%3Amf_story_key.8332773923582580650%3Atop_level_post_id.1481673051854056 |
Same thing i've gone through several times. I now know all their tricks. You even tried, paying them 5k, 3k, before seeing the house. As for me, I find the flat online, discuss everything on phone before going for inspection. I only pay for transport |
