Some people rate kindness on how seemingly huge the action or money given is. This isn’t so for Grace Isong.
50 Naira came through for her when she needed it the most.
In 2021, Grace Isong, an upcoming music artist and student at Rivers State University, went to visit her Music Director, Joshua Avigien of Team J Music.
Team J Music is a gospel music band of youths springing from Obio-Akpor, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Isong needed to have a discussion with Avigien, and to borrow his laptop for a school project.
“We had spoken, and he asked me to come over. So I left school to go to his office,” she recounted.
Isong had only two hundred naira when she embarked on that journey. She knew it would be just enough to take her to his office but not to her house. So, she settled to ask him for transport fare later.
“I was calm, because I knew that if I asked him for transport fare, he could help me.” she recounted
However, when she got to where he worked, she realized that he was in a hurry to leave.
Avigien gave her his laptop and bought Abacha (African salad) on their way out.
Isong couldn’t ask him for the transport fare.
“When I got there, and saw that he was in a hurry to leave. I just couldn’t summon myself to ask him for the transport fare. He had helped me with his laptop and bought me lunch on our way out, I honestly couldn’t bring myself to ask.”
“We had left almost immediately, and I felt that he was going somewhere and needed money himself. I didn’t want to disturb him, he had done enough,” Isong recalled
When she bid him farewell, she stood at the Agip-by-Ada-George junction, Obio-Apkor road, panicking. She had just rechecked the money in her bag. It was only 50 Naira she had.
She knew it wouldn’t take her home.
An extra 50 Naira will do. An extra 50 naira, summing 100 Naira will take her to Eagle Island, Obo-Apkor, where she lives.
“The journey from Agip-by-Ada-george to Eagle Island is not trekkable at all. At that point, I didn’t know what to do or who to meet. I wasn’t with my ATM (Automated Teller Machine) card as I had forgotten it at home, and I couldn’t use my small button phone to do a transfer,” she said.
As Isong watched people at the junction board vehicles and leave one by one, she couldn’t help but pray for a miracle. A free ride or a favour.
Then Isong noticed a dark lady standing at the junction. She went to her.“I didn’t even know what I was doing. I went to ask her where I could get a POS (point of sale) to do a transfer and get cash. I knew very well that I couldn’t do a transfer with my phone, but I was too shy to ask a stranger for 50 naira. I hoped she would help me when I told her the reason I needed a POS”
The lady pointed at a closeby shop with a POS banner for Grace. It was obvious that the lady in question was also waiting for a ride.
Isong went towards that direction sadly, and stayed there for some minutes. She looked forward and saw the lady still standing where she left her.
This time, Isong summoned courage and approached her. “Honestly, I had made up my mind to beg her, to ask her for 50 naira,”
However, before Isong could beg her, the lady spoke first. She asked Isong if she was able to do the transfer. When Isong said No, the lady gave her a 50 naira note to complete her transport fare.
“The shocking thing was that she happened to be holding a 50 naira note when I met her. She told me that since it was the amount that I needed to complete my transport fare, I should have it. Ha! I didn’t know whether to cry or scream. I was so grateful and thanked her profusely.”
Isong asked the lady if she had enough transport fare. The lady affirmed that she was good.
They both went their separate ways, but Isong never forgot about the encounter. That seemingly small amount of money turned out to be her saving grace that day.
It wasn’t just about the cash; it was about the kindness of a stranger who stepped in when she needed it the most.
“I have been gifted expensive things, but that gesture- that 50 naira, coming from someone who didn’t know me, and when I needed it the most, warms my heart. It’s how the seemingly small things weigh more…”
