See, let’s face it, Nigeria is tough and being the first child in Nigeria is even tougher. A major source of this stress is money. Growing up, many of us watched our parents shoulder the responsibilities of extended family and we saw what the stress did to them.
Finances can build a family or tear it apart. No matter how many times you give, the one time you can’t, you are seen as the devil.
So, what are the money situations where it’s difficult to say no? especially as the first child.
1) Burials:
When an older person dies, it’s a celebration of life and not a sober affair. As the first child, there are expectations that the bulk of the expense falls in your laps. When the family tries to guilt you for not throwing a big party in honor of recently deceased Grandma in Osogbo, there’s very little you can do.
2) Rent:
Whether your younger sibling needs to rent an apartment for school or someone needs a place to stay, you are the first point of call. How can you explain to family members that taking in your extra sibling will stress your already struggling finances?
3) Marriage:
Good luck trying to explain why you can’t contribute to a wedding you have no idea of or don’t even agree with. However, it’s a rite of passage for you to shoulder a huge part of the running expenses.
4) School fees:
“It takes a community to raise a child.” It also takes a lifetime for the child to repay the community for their efforts and sometimes this means shouldering responsibilities like tuition for people coming behind.
5) Hospital bills:
Everyone assumes you are rich because you wear a shirt and tie to work but we are all one sickness away from poverty. No matter how much you budget and plan, you can’t factor in your family members falling sick. You also can’t watch them suffer because you are saving money.
6) Dash-money:
You don’t want to be the older sibling that doesn’t give the younger one’s money to go home after they come to visit or run menial tasks. It’s bad P.R.
