Nigeria’s economic recession has continued to take its toll on Nigerians as a man in his late forties yesterday stole his neighbour’s pot of rice.
The man (name withheld), who lives at Ifite, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was in his own apartment when a neighbour, identified simply as Mama Ebuka, was cooking jollof rice and waited until the meal was well cooked.
A neighbour, Mr. Emmanuel Okafor, told New Telegraph correspondent that when the woman finished cooking, she left the pot on the stove and went inside her apartment.But, according to Okafor, when Mama Ebuka came out to dish food for herself she discovered that the pot was gone.
He said: “She started asking who took her pot of food but nobody owned up to it. Buy a young girl told those who had gathered that he saw the man take the pot into his room. “When the girl said that, we all rushed with the owner of the food to the man’s room only to see the pot of rice half empty.”
Okafor added that the man confessed he stole the pot of food because he was very hungry and had not eaten for three days. Neighbours said the man was a bricklayer who usually works at construction sites.
But, according to them, the man had not work in the last couple of months and no other means of livelihood. “The man knelt down and started pleading with Mama Ebuka to forgive him. Mama Ebuka, being a religious woman, forgave the man. She even told the man to tell her to give him food next time instead of stealing.
Mama Ebuka also promised she would not invite the police. “I know the man very well. He is not a bad person but I think the situation in the country is pushing people into things they would not ordinarily do. I am certain the worst is yet to come,” Okafor said.
The man (name withheld), who lives at Ifite, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was in his own apartment when a neighbour, identified simply as Mama Ebuka, was cooking jollof rice and waited until the meal was well cooked.
A neighbour, Mr. Emmanuel Okafor, told New Telegraph correspondent that when the woman finished cooking, she left the pot on the stove and went inside her apartment.But, according to Okafor, when Mama Ebuka came out to dish food for herself she discovered that the pot was gone.
He said: “She started asking who took her pot of food but nobody owned up to it. Buy a young girl told those who had gathered that he saw the man take the pot into his room. “When the girl said that, we all rushed with the owner of the food to the man’s room only to see the pot of rice half empty.”
Okafor added that the man confessed he stole the pot of food because he was very hungry and had not eaten for three days. Neighbours said the man was a bricklayer who usually works at construction sites.
But, according to them, the man had not work in the last couple of months and no other means of livelihood. “The man knelt down and started pleading with Mama Ebuka to forgive him. Mama Ebuka, being a religious woman, forgave the man. She even told the man to tell her to give him food next time instead of stealing.
Mama Ebuka also promised she would not invite the police. “I know the man very well. He is not a bad person but I think the situation in the country is pushing people into things they would not ordinarily do. I am certain the worst is yet to come,” Okafor said.