Some years ago, I lived within an estate in Lagos and often greeted the security guards before I left for work in the morning. They often responded with ‘Sister, well done. Go come.’

I did not have a car then.

I bought my car and SUDDENLY, the greeting of ‘sister’ became ‘madam.’ That was when I knew the difference between SISTER and MADAM.

There is a DIFFERENCE please!

I have learnt not to deceive myself. MONEY is VERY IMPORTANT. Some people try to undermine its importance yet they go through stressful Lagos traffic to SLAVE for it.

True, money is not everything but it answers all things. (Ecclesiastes 10:19) When you don’t have money, you don’t have a voice. The voice of a poor man is not heard and his wisdom is despised.(Ecclesiastes 9: 14- 16)

Have you seen the youngest child in a family preside over a meeting because he/she has substance while the oldest who has no ‘pepper’ is told to sit down? Na poverty cause am!

Do you know what it feels to watch a loved one die because you don’t have money to pay the hospital bills?

Can you imagine the agony of a lady, forced into prostitution because of lack of funds? It is easy to judge such a person but that is what lack of money can do.

Do you know how heartbreaking it is to do a menial job when you are qualified for something better and witness your self esteem being battered because you HAVE TO EARN A LIVING?

Do you know how it feels as a parent to watch your children hungry or unable to go to schol because you lack the money to meet these needs?

Na poverty cause all these things.

My pastor once said, ‘the lack of money is actually the root of all evils. The bulk of the insults we get in life can be traced to lack of money…….. A conductor cannot insult you over transport fare if you are in your own car. A landlord cannot throw out your possessions or threaten you in your own house. You cannot be degraded by people because you are depending on them financially if you have YOUR OWN MONEY. Should I go on? The list is endless…………………………………………………………

Money good oh! It is very easy to sing worship songs when you are in a brand new, air conditioned car, driving to a state-of-the-art house to eat choice meals and sleep in a “wickedly decorated” room. But have you seen a man CARRYING TEN BAGS OF CEMENT SMILING?

Can you compare a woman in the village (who goes to farm every day, carries heavy loads), to a lady in the city who has servants waiting on her hand and foot, is chauffeur driven to everywhere and does nothing but bathe and ease herself? Let me not go there………………………

Poverty is bad oh! I once heard of how a poor man allowed a millionaire spend the weekend with his wife after he promised to give the family one million naira! Na poverty cause am.

Do you know how demoralising it is to watch your dreams stagnated by lack of money? I read stories of people who are impoverished and it breaks my heart. I wish I could help but can you give what you do not have? No! Poverty is not good.

It is not right to GET MONEY BY ALL MEANS but please let us try BY ALL LEGITIMATE AND GODLY MEANS to get money.

We need more people with VOICES to rule our world.