If you ask any Nigerian living in Nigeria to describe 2024 for you, they’ll probably give you the same response: “Shege pro max”. But despite the shege Emilokan’s government and inflation dealt Nigerians this year, real lovers still found ways to go all out for their partners.
From spending over ₦600k on fuel to flying across borders for food and surprise birthdays, these individuals prove that our country people don’t hold back on love—even in the face of intense suffering.
Tunde*, 30
The wildest thing I did for love this year? That’ll be spending over ₦600k on fuel for my girlfriend. Before fuel prices skyrocketed, I used to handle the fuel for her car and generator. But this year, the amount tripled. I recently calculated how much I’ve spent, and it’s wild AF. Just fuel alone o! I love her, but at this rate, I might need to chill a little going into 2025.
Seyi*, 31
I pretended to enjoy the gym for my talking stage babe. She’s obsessed with the gym and bodybuilding, and I’m more of an “As long as you’re eating healthy” guy. But every other weekend this year, I’ve been joining her for long, excruciating gym sessions and pretending not to die. And she thinks I love the sessions because I’ve paid for subscriptions and even bought “sports gear” to keep the act alive. Love will make you do stupid things sha.
Joke*, 27
I moved to another state for love. My fiance got a job in Port Harcourt, and instead of doing long distance, I packed my life in Lagos and followed him. I found a remote job, moved in with him, and adjusted to a city I barely knew because I couldn’t imagine not being near him. But to be fair, I’ve always considered moving out of Lagos; this city is the absolute ghetto. And I thought, since the UK or US still seem farfetched, why not consider moving states? I’ve had absolutely zero regrets.
Ishmael*, 29
I bought my girlfriend a puppy because she loves dogs, even though I’m terrified of them. The dog has taken over our lives—chewing everything in sight and barking at 3 a.m. And guess who takes care of it 90% of the time? Me. I’m the one buying the food, walking it, and cleaning up after it. The crazy thing is, I’m a Muslim, and we’re not supposed to associate with dogs. God, abeg.
Esther*, 31
I took a large sum from my savings to plan a surprise 50th birthday party for my husband’s mum in this Tinubu’s economy. She’s a single mum who worked hard to raise him, and I wanted to show her how much she means to us. I gathered her friends and family, picked out asoebi for her, and even got her church choir to sing. My husband cried when she walked into the party. It was a lot of stress, but totally worth it. What makes it wild is that I’ve never done something as grand for my parents. But then again, that’s because my parents have about eight of us, and sometimes it feels like we’re competing against each other to do stuff for them. My mother-in-law doesn’t enjoy all that.
Jerry*, 41
Earlier this year, during my wife’s pregnancy, she became obsessed with food from a particular vendor in Ibadan. Anytime the vendor posted a new menu, she’d forward it to me or go on and on about how it was the only thing she wanted to eat. I tried ordering from vendors in Lagos who sold similar meals, but she wasn’t satisfied.
One random weekend, I drove to Ibadan to get enough food to last a month. The funny part? When I got back, she said, “Ehn, I’m not feeling it again.” I was so mad, but I packed everything into the freezer. After ignoring it for a week, she finally started eating it—and it became the only thing she wanted till the end of her pregnancy. I made four more trips to Ibadan before she went to bed. Anytime I remind her of what she put me through, she laughs and says, “Don’t worry, next pregnancy, we’ll send you further.”
Ayomipo*, 28
I paid off my ex-boyfriend’s ₦700k debt. We broke up on mutual grounds but stayed friends with benefits. And no, the benefits aren’t just sexual—we’ve come through for each other in other ways, too.
He’d taken a loan to fund a business that didn’t work out, and even though he tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal, I could tell it was breaking him. Anytime I asked for updates, he’d shy away from the topic. I couldn’t bear to see him like that, so I cleared the debt without telling him. Two weeks later, he found out when the loan sharks stopped calling.
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