Dear Diary,
There is this little boy who begs on the Ikeja road to the airport. He twists his right hand to look deformed. Not a very good attempt, if you ask me.
It cracks me up really.
Maybe I should take a photo.
I have looked at him closely, there is no burn or deformity there. I have even seen him at unguarded moments when his ‘deformed’ hand isn’t so deformed anymore.
Then I pity him. He couldn’t possibly have decided to stand on the road begging, could he?
Begging in Lagos….and the rest of Nigeria has become a lucrative business. In Calabar, they used to bring them in vans to beg early in the morning and at night they’d be whisked away to submit the proceeds of the day to whoever their pimp is. I hope the State Government has been able to do something about it.
There’s the lady with the pepertual scowl on her face still here in Ikeja under the bridge. Since I started working here at the airport in 2012 till now, I see her everyday quoting the same not-so-sad-anymore story “please help me, my mother is dying. She’s at the General Hospital.” I used to give her money but now I’ve grown weary of her. One time I actually asked her “Your mama never die yet?”
Then there are the others who beg and take phone calls with rather fancy phones that I don’t even use.
There’s this man I met at Oshodi who was begging every and anyone for N20 to add to his money to pay his fare to Obalende. He’d been begging everyone and still begging me. So I told him “oya come let me pay the bus fare for you. Enter the bus!” He shouted at me o. He told me to not spoil his market if I do not want to give him money.
Girl, I ran away o. Before I will just see a Nigerian movie play out in front of me where his fellow beggars will surround me and beat me.
Let’s not forget the “corporate beggars.”
Makes me feel bad for those genuine beggars who have nothing. Cause I hardly want to give to any of them.
thewittyjournalblog 
It’s one of the saddest things ever. These days begging is a profession. I know how many times I’ve seen a couple of “beggars” that come to the bus park at CMS and Obalende to give the same lines every time.
There’s the one that wound not bleed until he wipes his nose, there is one with a Barry White voice, the one that used to be an okada rider, but is now crippled, the one that needs N50.00 to complete his transport, etc cause there are one too many.
I’ve stopped giving money.
When they come round and start complaining about being hungry or they need to eat to take their medication I get them a drink or gala.
The end.
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LoooooooooL. I know the one with the Barry White voice. One time I was in the bus and he came to my window to ask for money. I even thought he was the bus driver or conductor and almost gave him my transport money.
All these beggars shaaa. I’m just done.
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I thought I was the only one who knew that Barry White voice guy. God. His voice though.
Why is he begging? God.
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Begging is now a business. You become surprised to see beggers with BB. Am no longer willing to give alms to anyone not physical disabled.
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