It’s easy to call anyone a friend because of how close they are to you, but what does a friend do when you need them most? In this article, we asked eight Nigerian women about the best thing a friend has done for them. Here’s what they had to say:
Funmi, 22
I have Hepatitis B and have been taking drugs for it. One day, I was gisting with one of my male friends and I told him about it. I thought he would stop talking to me but he told me about his family member who also experienced it. He told me about the drugs they used and even got his mum to call me. She often calls me to make sure I am okay and taking my drugs well. It is so sweet how personal he took the information and decided to be there for me in his own way.
Tosan, 20
During my last holiday, I was broke to the core. I had an infection. I had unprotected sex and the dumbass didn’t pull out. I was in a lot of pain and of course, I didn’t want a baby. I told my bestie about it. She was also broke but she asked her boyfriend for money and bought me contraceptives and drugs to treat the infection.
Ayomide, 24
In the heat of the pandemic, when I didn’t have a job, one of my friends sent me 20k every month and also helped me get a job, while another friend housed me for a month free of charge. I did not spend a dime. When I got a place of my own she drove me to check it out and drove me again when I was moving in.
Brenda, 45
Some years back, I was ill and going from one hospital to another. Each one gave me a different diagnosis. I shared it with a friend whose husband is a doctor and she asked me to come over to South Africa. It turned out that I needed surgery to survive. She paid for everything! She stood by me through it all and made sure I got the best medical care.
Two years later, I suffered a life-threatening heartbreak and she was there again. She held my hands through it and paid for a change of environment. Till today, she hovers over my life like a mother hen. I wonder what I did to God to send her my way. I don’t think I can ever repay her.
Temi, 23
As part of my japa plans, I have been trying to get my transcript from my school. I had paid for it but they didn’t send it down. Last week, my boyfriend called me to say he sent me something. Lo and behold, it was my transcript. I was overjoyed and didn’t even know what to do. He has always been very supportive.
Nneka, 24
I once had a job that made me complain every single day. The work environment was so toxic it was all I could talk about whenever I hung out with my friends. I told them I wanted to resign and they all supported me when I did. They sent me money every month until I got a new job. One of them even gave me his ATM to use in the meantime. It was the sweetest thing ever.
Aduke, 18
Right now, I am staying with a friend I met in my first year of university. I got a hostel space in my first year but I didn’t in my second year. One of my friends offered to share her space with me. She takes care of most of my feeding and transportation because I hardly ever have money. It’s the best thing a friend has ever done for me and the fact that we weren’t even close before makes me even more grateful.
Dolapo, 17
Once upon a time, my CGPA was 2.04 and two of my friends found out about it. From that day, they did everything possible to raise my GPA. They made sure I went to classes and explained everything afterwards. They stayed up with me to read the courses I carried over. When it was needed, they forced me to study. Currently, my CGPA is a 2nd class upper.
Ngozi, 20
On my 20th birthday, I was depressed and I didn’t even want to get out of bed. One of my friends called to wish me a happy birthday and I told him I felt like shit. He came all the way from his shoot — he’s a photographer and did a photo shoot for me. He made me laugh and feel good about myself. I ended up having a great day.
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