Friday, March 9, 2007

I am hustling!

Oh girls, how many times have you heard this? Check out this scenario,

A: Hi Chukwudi, long time oh, what's up?
B: I just dey oh!
A: So what are you doing now?
B: Actually.....ehhh....I'm in Abuja!
A: Wow! that's great!, yeah, i remembered your mum told me.
B:Things are tough you know......but by God's grace, I'll make it.
A: So where are you working in Abuja?
B: Ehhhhn, actually, i do a bit of everything....(coughing), this and that.
A: Ohhhhhhh, Okay, soooooo you are into business?
B: Ehnnnnnn, you can say that, but you know......we are in Abuja....we are hustling now.....you know how things are
A:You are what?
B:Hustling now......you know...

What the hell does hustling mean? does it mean "I am trying to get a job, i wake up early, look at the newspapers and apply for all the jobs i see" or does it mean "i wake up in the morning, go to the nearest internet cafe and spend all my money looking for mugus" or "i am basically unemployed but i am perching at a friend's house untill he makes it and then, maybe he'll help me out".
What the hell does it mean?
Yeah, thats what my ex, was doing. He was hustling. I visited Naija a while ago, after 8 years and that is what that fool was doing. I really hoped he would be doing well. I really hoped.He was a good guy, honest, helpful so i wished him the best.........I expected that when I came home, people would say "ah waffarian, Chukwudi is a big boy now oh! he is now working at so and so, did you see his house? infact, his wedding was the talk of the town, men, you missed!"........that is what I really hoped for him, that he would be settled and doing well.....instead, on that early morning, when the dogs started barking, my brother ran in to tell me he could see Chukwudi strolling towards our house. I went out to meet him, he had not changed, he still looked the same, he was wearing a pair of jeans, a "chequered " shirt,(short sleeve), one of those "reiging" sandals, glasses and one of those bags that go across the front and then "lands" at the back. I remember seeing that entire look on one of those comedians on "1001 laughs". Anyway,I was excited to see him, hoping after 8 yrs, he was doing well for himself.......and that is what he was doing, he was hustling!

27 comments:

laspapi said...

I felt sorry for Chukwudi and the "harshness" of the judgement of his ex. Nigeria's is a depressed economy, and maybe some day, he'll get it right. The term "hustle" in Abuja is rather common and has no fixed definition. It's probabaly a mix of all the options you gave.
I like the way you wrote the post.

Diary of a Mad Soul Sista said...

its a little hard for me to comment about such a sensitive topic.
Now, when someone (specifically a naija man) tells me they're hustling, i automatically believe they're 419ing because i know how proud our naija men are. if they had a decent job, they'd let u know it!
and i'd like to blame them for their choice of occupation. but then i have lived back home. and as much as i feel sorry for the victims, i dot know what i would do neither, if i was back home with hopeless oppourtunities...
wither way, i'm just sadddened by the situation...
God bless Nigeria
amen

Waffarian said...

@laspipi
Yes, Naija is tough and really hopeless, I feel sorry for Chukwudi too, but at the same time, I had to show it from the "ex's" point of view who is sympathetic, yet harsh. It is honest, though! Thanks for the compliment!
@soulfulsista
Yeah.....it is a hard one.....

Unknown said...

Hustling simply means i have no job but could do with anything i can get.The situation in Nigeria is so bad that most of our youth are on the street hustling,when they should be doing something constructive with their life and contributing their quota to the devt of our economy but he go better

LondonBuki said...

Hustling to me means a lot... no job but doing 'dodgy' stuff or whatever one can to make some cash.

It's not easy oh..

Confused Naija Girl said...

it probably means dodgy stuff or looking for a job. Its the situation of our country - I hope things get better in our country oh!

Idemili said...

Ah-ah! Waffarian, you too harsh now, haba. The guys is trying his best. I mean, you did say he was a nice guy, is he hardworking? Was he hardworking/enterprising when you were with him? If not, then he deserves your insults.
However, if he was, then he is just a victim of circumstance and should be pitied.

IJEOMA said...

its all relative.. i rather a man hustles pro actively and positively than the other extreme

kramer said...

Hustling can be positive or negative. Positive when the hustler is doing everything in his power to make it, usually involving hard work and resilience. Negative when the hustler is looking for fast and easy money usually involving dubious means.

kramer said...

Someone pls help out. What does HNWD mean? Someone should compile a bloggers dictionary!

Anonymous said...

Times can be really hard. A lot of graduates without jobs. Thank our lucky stars for what we have got.

Waffarian said...

If una notice for my post, i no use the word "hardworking", infact, this tory need some background, so una go tell me say i dey lenient(na so dem dey spell am?)well well, i dey come, wey una read Chukwudi tory, infact, una go cut cain, flog am well well!

Idemili said...

Oya do now. I keep checking your blog to se the story. Have just finished my updates and have nowt to read.

Waffarian said...

hehehehehehehh! idemili! dem send you this early morning? I dey come, i dey go do some shopping, food,! patience, dem get plenty wedding websites, abeg, dey look those ones till i return!

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Simply Gorgeous said...

wow- that is tough . I also thought hustling is either doing 419. armed robbery, or cheating someone. Nigeria is becoming harder and harder. especially in Abuja, to be unemployed when there are som any companies there must be really hard for him.

Anonymous said...

Every guy I've met who told me they were hustling was actually doing 419 so I'm veeeeery weary of the term.

Unknown said...

hustling includes 419, a bit of importing and also chasing government contracts.

what do you expect in a country with limited options for smart brains.

abeg joh let me hear word!

DonCasiragi said...

Town dey hard well well...but last I checked land is still plentiful..when I dey UNILAG I don make up my mind say if I no find job by the "I beg to Apply" route say na Pastor or farmer I go become. All u need is a Bible abi no be so? And my village get enuf land to go around..abi no be so my people?

Idemili said...

Look, stop coming to look for my trouble in my blog! Update yours before I beat you. :-D

Idemili said...

Wedding wetin! Mind yourself o!

Waffarian said...

Doncasiragi! abeg, thank you! that's exactly what I have been saying all these years! Farmwork! If i had no job, no income, I will definitely farm. But our Naija men.........PRIDE! I would raise chickens, whatever! I would use bicycle if I can't afford "fuel" for my car, whatever!

UnNaked Soul said...

e no easy oh.. but some people are getting it so rosy that many people think rose smells like poop (jealous/bitter)... but that's the situation...

I like your idea of farming oh.. but where's the land/capital? make we start our own OBJ Farms.. abi how you check am?

AbujaBabe said...

My sister pity the boy small na!!..lol

Na so Naija be oh!!
When they do say they hustling i dont think it's 419 but more of i dey look for contract kind hustle from one Ministry and his brother!.. na so it dey be for That place oh!!...

Every Body Wan Be Big Bwoy!!

Anonymous said...

lmao.. he's doing yahoo yahoo...

vindication through innocence said...

na runz be this...'hustle' ko hustle ni!!If you go to abuja and ur not on business or a govt official or on holiday....men...its a wrap!!the guy is runzing!!

Mr.Fineboy said...

lol@what the hell does husting mean? Loving your blog! Come see me sometime!