After several years without a family WhatsApp group, atypical of a Nigerian family with access to the app, my sister decided last week that it would be a great idea to have us all in one e-space. She must have been bored the day she got that epiphany, this sister of mine who responds to WhatsApp messages after 7 business days and has her Read Receipts feature turned off. I’m cautious of people who have that setting turned off, by the way. Why do you want to hide the fact that you’re online, who are you owing money!? But I digress.

Anyway, in the week or so the group has been active it has been all roses and pleasantries. The occasional How Far, Happy Sunday (in my mom’s voice), and lighthearted teasing true to our family.

Then the inspirational forwarded messages from my dad, because there has to be that one person. Each inspirational message is followed by replies of ‘Thanks for sharing Daddy’ because the messages are quite inspirational and more importantly because we have to show the parents that we still have common sense and haven’t forgotten our home training.

Until Dad shared a forwarded message with the title ‘7 reasons why degree holders are poor’

Crickets. No one responded. I’m certain though that in the comfort of our homes, in true Nigerian style, everyone said to themselves “I shall not be poor in Jesus’ name.”

No one typed this on the group though, remember I told you we haven’t forgotten our home training.

Well, Mummy came online and put us out of misery, responding to her husband with a resounding “My children who are degree holders shall not be poor in Jesus’ name.”

One after the other we came out of hiding to type ‘Amen Mummy!’ 😅