I am someone who loves living in big cities. Lagos is somewhere i felt i could never do without.

When you are not in Lagos, it feels as if you are missing something, as if you are no more in Nigeria.

However, last year, my mind started questioning this feeling or call it mentality.

And why?

I see many average income lagosians living fine, shining, cars with good rented apartment. It feels fulfilling to them, and even myself.

I see some colleagues of mine in banking industry, paying 1.5m, 2.5m house rent in 1004 area, lawschool, VI, Lekki, magodo. Good looking beautiful families. I call them "shine shine" people. I pay 800k as house rent at Ogba apartment every January when I collect upfront at work. I always feel sad when I deduct house rent from this upfront. It does not feel as if i collect upfront.

One day I was having a chat with an elderly man about how people just waste their lives in lagos and their other working class, colleagues in other states are achieving more. Although he said somethings I did not agree with e.g he said lagos case is spiritual, you come to lagos, earn in lagos and spend it in lagos. I didnt buy that spiritual stuff.

But he said other things. He said Lagos mentality has enslaved many... you will hear them say "Surulere ni mingbe" meaning "boastfully saying I live in surulere" as if they are getting paid for living in Surulere...Ikeja ni mingbe, ajah ni mingbe...as if you own a land in Ikeja or ajah. Who says you can't live somewhere else?

This struck me really deep. I had a land in mowe i bought for cheap in 2019. I bought the land for buying sake incase it get appreciated so I can resell it. I always tell myself, I can't live outside lagos. By the way, my office is on the island. So mowe is a no no for me. I made sure i laid foundation and mounted 2 coach of blocks just to show that i am active on the land because omo onile were trying to play funny games.

January 2021, after paying my blood for house rent, i could not sleep one midnite, i was just thinking is this how i will spend the rest of my life like a lagos shine shine big boy. If i get married now and children school fees kick in, what will be my achievement in life?

The following morning, I dont know the spirit that entered me, I called my bricklayer and my site supervisor, I gave them instruction and money. They were surprised. My SS told me "oga wetin you wan go do for mowe?". I just told him, I want to build it so i can make money from house rent. It is a decent story building. I took loans from here and there...loan company, loan in HR Payroll...and many more. It was not easy,..I even sold a car, cut down cost...even I was managing 3 trousers to work. Those trousers were my trademark at the office.

When i finally did finishing touches, lagos spirit kicked in. I told my colleagues at the office that I have completed my house. They asked where the location is, I said "Mowe". I started hearing many discouraging submissions. One said "mowe of all places", "what r you going there to do?"
"Thats far na". "land must be really cheap in mowe".."if they dash me land in mowe, i may not even collect it.."..blahblah..I started developing cold feet. I built a house, I could not move to it.

Then, I met a staff who stop at Ojodu Beger when he joins our staff bus going to Ogba. One day he told me he goes to mowe everyday. Out of curiosity I asked "How do you manage? Thats stressful, he said mowe is one of the best place to live outside lagos. When we are in lagos traffic, sitting for hours, he is at home, because mowe is on lagos ibadan express road. It 15 or 20 minutes from berger.

I summoned courage, I didnt let mockery hold me back. I moved to my house. Today, I look back, happiness and joy filled my heart. I never regretted it. At the crossover prayer, i was dancing like a mad man, people didnt know why. Na me sabi wetin i see.

Although at first it was challenging because of the road construction on lagos ibadan express way. But now, I drive to lagos under 15 minutes.

I live in a serene environment void of pollution (noise and chemical).

My company even deployed a staff bus for mowe axis. I joined the staff bus when i dont feel like driving.

I finished paying my loan. I feel so free now. No burden in my heart again.

My friends at my former rented apartment called me last week that my ex-landlord just increased house rent from 800k to 1m. New tenants will pay 1.2million. This news is the greatest joy of my life.

My upfront is coming this new January. I dont even have a plan for it yet, may be i will just invest it sha...never know.

Lesson, don't get drown in the rivers of lagos...shine shine bobo syndrome. Go to clubs and shopping mart, you will see cars parked people shopping as if nigeria is richer than UAE. All na shine shine...

Learn

Congrats brother, this will not be your last. More positive stories like this shall not cease from you. Your story is so inspiring, I pray God raises me to the level where I can own a house too this 2022

Opeyemic01:
Congrats brother, this will not be your last. Your story is so inspiring

Thank you. I intentionally posted this to inspire some lagosians

Nuff said my brother, congratulations on your achievements Sir. Instead if some people to create their own path they would rather thread the paths created by others. Thank goodness you created your own path and walked in it accordingly.

phorget:
Nuff said my brother, congratulations on your achievements Sir. Instead if some people to create their own path they would rather thread the paths created by others. Thank goodness you created your own path and walked in it accordingly.

Thank you