THIS IS THE BEST CHRISTMAS I’VE HAD

I’ve been trying to do many things. Since 2008, it’s been difficult because my mom and my dad broke up. I was 13 years old then and I’d just finished my primary school. Then I left the house and started learning work: electrical and electronics, plumbing, painting, coloured design with wallpaper. I went back to school and studied Computer Science at Nasarawa Poly. When I was there, every weekend I would come to Abuja to work. I followed guys that do AC. I followed guys that carry block and cement. I followed electrician. Those that organise house parties, I followed them. Band and those that cook, I followed them. I’ve worked as a barman in different parts of Abuja. I also do laundry. I wash and iron for people from my house. I do house cleaning. I’ll wash everything, just give me my ₦10k. I have worked at the sawmill. I carried two logs of wood at once to make it fast; my neck was starting to get crooked and my mom urged me to stop. Any angle that brings money, I fall out. I am very active; I don’t sleep. 

You can see yesterday, I danced from 11 am to 9 pm, and all of them liked me. One boy even bought a milkshake for me and said, “I dey feel you.” So, that’s how it is and I think that’s the only way money can come in because I’ve worked in many places and I can’t work for salary: ₦20k/₦30k monthly, no no. I know what I’m doing. Sometimes, for three to four days, I may not eat, but I’ll try and find water to drink. But I still know what I’m doing. That’s why I’m not freaked by many things.

This is the first time I’ll put on the Father Christmas costume. It was the DJ who got me the gig. Yesterday, we were outside at a three-way junction in Zone Nine, hailing people and collecting money, like five of us. After they collected the money, do you believe I was the eldest there and they didn’t give me one kobo? One person took ₦4,000, and they were my guys. I was angry, and I wanted to scatter the place, but I decided to drop it. Then this guy came and said there’s a job. I didn’t even wait to hear the details. Oga, make we dey go first. When I work finish, you’ll pay me. At the end of the day, he paid me ₦5,000. I’m okay with it. It was just for me to put on the costume and dance in front of the restaurant. I’m not a dancer, but I still gave them steppings. They sprayed me like N4,000. I gave it to him, and he gave me ₦1,000 out of it, because he also bought me bread and soft drink that afternoon. 

This is the best Christmas I’ve had. The last time my dad did Christmas for me was 2007. We slaughtered a chicken, celebrated, and did everything. There are some Christmas, I just stay inside. It’s just like a normal day. But yesterday, there was even enough joy to play around with the kids and all of them were like, where is this love coming from? And I still have jams. If you listen to them, you will know that this boy is bringing out something. If you hear my new update, it is not common to see anywhere. My verses speak to each other. It’s my plan to drop it today. I started making music this year. Apart from that, I can even see money coming. My pocket go dey okay. My momsy go dey okay. So, I’m so happy. Very happy, bro. What’s on my mind now is that I wish one day I’ll go back to school. I want to go to music school and graduate. 

A lot is in my head because I am the first son among five siblings and my dad is the first-born among his siblings. So everything from their family is on my dad’s head and everything on my dad’s head is on my head because all of them have died. I lost my dad in 2020. He was sick for 12 years. That’s why I left them to face what I need to do. Let me get myself from outside, then my people will hear my voice. I feel like let’s just push it. I know story go still change one day. Sometimes, I do feel bad for my junior ones. Because if survival is this hard for me, how are they coping? I know where I’m coming from. I may not know where I’m going, but there are traces. I just thank God for life.

As narrated by: David ‘C1-Sho’ Shobola (Abuja, Nigeria)

You can follow David on TikTok at @davidc1sho and check out his jams on Audiomack at C1-SHO.