What usually appear or sound like a bed of roses is usually a mirage in reality. A lot of people dream of living, studying, working and serving in Abuja, especially by the Youth Corpers on the NYSC scheme. This is because, Abuja is the capital territory and plays host to most of the powerful sectors in the country. With this in mind, there is this great rush to the FCT even without enquiring to know the cost of living (house/ shop rent, , transportation, and other essential commodities).

This was the fate of Ayo  a student of the University of Port Harcourt who fought through thick and thin to ensure that he was posted to Abuja for his NYSC. On one of the occasions, he was heard saying 

"Abuja is my dream residence, life there is cool, no worries, no stress", one of his friends who lives in Abuja tried to desuade him but he felt that his friend did not want him to join him in the "all-encompassing enjoyment" in Abuja. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and after few months, he wrote his final year thesis and successfully defended his thesis, graduated and applied for the long awaited national assignment(NYSC).

Ayo a smart , intelligent  God-fearing young man with all expectations from  his family as the first son developed ' long legs' made his way to serve in Abuja through one of the directors with an undisclosed amount.

He traveled to Abuja for the "life changing" experience in Abuja. Ayo arrived the city of Abuja and was pleased to see beautiful aesthetics and jaw dropping architectures.

After the three weeks training in the NYSC camp, he was posted to Command secondary school as his PPA. The school's staff house (Corpers lodge) was nothing to write home about. he had to look for an accommodation outside the school premises, the   rent was to be paid from his monthly allowance.

Ayo was shocked to his marrow when he discovered that a neat self-contained apartment goes for 450k and above. he was in great shock after enquiring from about 5 agents. he was very disappointed and immediately, "had I known" started popping up in his head.

He called on his friend  to give him assistance with accommodation for three months. Ayo eventually moved in with his friend  few days to his 26th birthday .

He got to his friends place with plans all mapped out,  getting a part-time job to enable him assist his single mum in paying his siblings fees , savings enough money to get an apartment and making good connections as possible as he could.

On his 26th birthday night , his friends suggested they go out for a drink  , but he hesitated. One of his friend's said to him ; 'enjoy now oh, like diz ur fate no dey your hand'

Ayo dressed up with his friends who helped him hired a SUV sport car to one of the renowned hotels in Abuja.

He got to the venue looking like a rich young man with all the qualities a man could ever dream of ,   Tall, handsome and 'rich at the moment'.

At the table with his friends drinking and generally making Merry with his friends, a young man 'catwalked'  to him , exchange pleasantries and requested for his contact.

He was skeptical and asked  why he needed his contact, he replied: ' I want to run things with you' you are good looking and I'm ready to take care of all your needs'.  He got confused and requested that he leaves his table.

On turning to his friends , he got goosebumps as they chorusly whispered, ' guy u allow that guy go u no collect number, u dey joke?'

His friend who gave him accommodation declared he would move out of his house the next day if he doesn't accept the offer by the gay guy .He lamented "This is real madness, how will I manage my life through my stay here".

This is the situation Ayo is facing,should he give in to sin or just hang on there ? 

There is always a simple and over downgraded virtue that can be of help , it is called PATIENCE, once you have it, you will wait for your appointed time to complete your life's journey and sojourn. But is there anything the government can do to help reduce the cost of living in Abuja.? Let's hear from you our reader.