THE LAGOS RETURN: CHAPTER 1

FROM RAG TO RICHES. EPISODE 9

FROM RAG TO RICHES EPISODE 9

The next morning, Amara woke up in her penthouse at Lagos Continental Hotel. Sunlight entered through large glass windows. For the first time in five years, she slept without fear, without hunger, without tears.

Her phone rang. It was Chike calling from downstairs.

"Madam Nova, many people are waiting downstairs. Journalists, bloggers, and family members. The story of yesterday's meeting has spread all over Surulere."

Amara smiled. She looked in the mirror. She was no longer the girl in torn slippers. She was now a billionaire, a boss, a woman of power.

"Tell them I will come down in one hour. Tell them to wait in the lounge. Give them drinks."

She stood in front of the mirror. She was wearing a silk nightgown. Her hair was scattered. But her face was glowing. Five years ago, she was sleeping on a carton at Ojuelegba bus stop. She was begging for water. She was wearing one cloth for three days. No one knew her name. People called her "that orphan girl."

Now, she was Madam Nova. Owner of Nova Collections, the biggest fashion store on Lagos Island. Owner of three boutiques in Lekki. Owner of two warehouses. Owner of the small bungalow in Surulere that her father left for her. Owner of a black Prado and a house in Lekki.

How did she do it? How did a girl who was chased out of her father's house with only one Ghana-must-go bag become a billionaire in five years?

It started on that rainy night at Ojuelegba. After Festus chased her out, she had nowhere to go. She sat at the bus stop, crying. A woman selling akara called her.

"My daughter, why are you crying in the rain?"

Amara told her everything. That her father died. That her uncle chased her out. That she had no mother in Lagos. That she had only 2,000 naira in her pocket.

The woman, Mama Nkechi, took her to her small room in Mushin. She gave her garri to drink. She said, "You will stay with me for one week. After one week, you must go and find work in Lagos. Lagos does not pity anybody. If you pity yourself, you will die here."

After one week, Amara went to Lagos Island. She walked from shop to shop, begging for work as salesgirl. No one wanted her because she had no experience. She was about to give up when she entered a boutique owned by a Lebanese woman, Mrs. Sonia.

Mrs. Sonia looked at her from head to toe. "You are beautiful, but you look hungry. Can you sell clothes?"

Amara knelt down. "Aunty, I can sell anything. I can even sweep your shop. Just give me a chance. I don't need salary, just give me food and where to sleep."

Mrs. Sonia felt pity. She gave her job as salesgirl with salary of 30,000 naira per month. And she allowed her to sleep inside the shop at night.

Amara worked like her life depended on it. She came to work by 6 AM and left by 10 PM. She learned how to talk to rich customers. She learned how to arrange clothes. She learned how to make customers buy more than they wanted. In three months, her sales was the highest in the shop.

Mrs. Sonia increased her salary to 50,000 naira. Amara saved every kobo. She did not buy new clothes. She did not do hair. She was saving to start her own business.

One day, a rich customer came to the boutique and wanted 20 pieces of the same dress for her aso ebi. But Mrs. Sonia did not have up to 20. Amara remembered a place in Yaba where she saw the same material. She told the customer, "Madam, give me two hours, I will get it for you."

She ran to Yaba, bought the materials with her own savings of 70,000 naira, and took it to a tailor in Oshodi who sewed it overnight. The next morning, she delivered 20 dresses to the customer. The customer was so happy that she paid her 300,000 naira. The material and sewing cost only 120,000 naira. Amara made profit of 180,000 naira in one day.

That was her first big money.

She did it again and again. She started connecting customers directly to tailors in Oshodi and taking commission. In six months, she had saved 2 million naira.

She left Mrs. Sonia's shop with respect. Mrs. Sonia hugged her and said, "You will be bigger than me. Go and shine."

Amara rented a small shop in Balogun Market with 500,000 naira. She named it Nova Collections. Nova means new star. She was the new star of Lagos.

From one shop, she grew to three shops in one year. She started importing from Turkey and China. She employed five girls. She was making 5 million naira profit every month.

But she never forgot Surulere. She never forgot the bungalow. She was waiting for the right time to return.

And yesterday was the day. She bought back her father's house from the bank where Festus used it to collect loan and could not pay. She paid 4.5 million naira cash. The bank manager was shocked when he saw a young girl of 24 years bringing 4.5 million cash to buy a small bungalow in Surulere.

Now, as she looked in the mirror at Lagos Continental Hotel, tears fell from her eyes. Not tears of pain, but tears of joy. She had moved from rag to riches. From grass to grace. From zero to hero.

She cleaned her tears and wore a beautiful red dress. She applied light makeup. She looked like a queen.

She took her phone and called her mother in the village.

"Mama, I did it. I have taken back Papa's house. And I am now a billionaire in Lagos. All those who mocked me yesterday will beg me today."

Her mother was crying on phone. "Amara, my daughter, God has lifted you. Remember the poor. Remember those who helped you when you had nothing. Don't become like Festus."

"I will not, Mama. I have forgiven Festus. I gave his family money to rent house."

She cut the call and looked at Lagos from her penthouse window. Lagos was busy, cars everywhere, people hustling. This was the same Lagos that almost swallowed her five years ago. Now she had conquered Lagos.

She picked her small handbag and went downstairs. Downstairs, more than 30 people were waiting for her. Journalists with cameras, bloggers with phones, family members with fake smiles, and Mama Festus with her two children, holding a small basket of fruits.

When they saw her, they all stood up and started clapping.

Amara smiled. The girl who was once chased out as an orphan had now returned as a queen. Her journey from rag to riches was complete, but her story was just beginning.