MEMORIES OF USING NAIRA COINS
By Ubong Creativity David
A lot to remember about these coins, either for good or vice versa.
As a child, I can recall many instances that I was beaten seriously by my mum because I lost these coins when sent an errand, especially when the food is on fire and you are sent to rush and buy either maggi or salt after they discovered there is shortage or unavailability of any of them to conclude the cooking.
While you are instructed to rush and buy either maggi or salt, along the road going for the errand, you met your friends playing ball, and you joined them. Before you realized yourself, the coin is lost in the sand. You have to search everywhere, employed your friends, but all to no avail. Sometimes, your friends or playmates who joined you in the search may found it but decided to hid it from you.
When you hear your mum calling repeatedly to bring the maggi or salt she sent you, it is at that moment you will realized the mess you have put yourself. You need to start crying that you lost the money along the way, but you have to stay many meters away from the house. Of course, you have no activity near the kitchen. If you must, then be ready for the real beating for being careless.
Other occasions, you put the coins inside your trouser but unfortunately there is hole in it and the money fell off.
Other usage of these coins is during Christmas period when you have been listed among those to either sing Christmas carol or recitation on 25th December and church members came out to support you with money, mainly coins. After gathering all the money that is yours, it is then you will realized that one side of your trouser, will sink down because of coins. And you will be holding it to avoid any intruder till you reach home. Any offer to help you carry it, either from mum or siblings or friends, you turned it down immediately because what you gathered at the church may not be the same that you will get when you reach home. You will be acting like a politician that has been declared winner in an election. There were a lot of experiences associated with these coins.
Other occasions, you will pick it on the road and your friends will advised you to pee on it to neutralize every evil intention associated with the coins. Some that are greenish in colour, you will used sand to clean it and put to use.
Were you born when these coins were in use? What were your experiences?
True life story as told by Ubong Creativity David
