No Free Lunch Even in Free Town

The other day, in the course of my tour of duty to Sierra Leone, I was the Guest of a Business Man based in Free Town who wanted us to have a business lunch and discuss the possibility of a business tour of Nigeria.

For those who may not remember, Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country.

Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial,cultural, educational and political centre.

The city proper had a population of 951,000 at the 2014 census.

As of 2010, the population of Freetown is estimated at 1.2 million.

The city's economy revolves largely around its harbor, which occupies a part of the estuary of the Sierra Leone River in one of the world's largest natural deep water harbours.

The population of Freetown is ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse, among Muslims and Christians.

The city is home to a significant population of virtually all of the country's ethnic groups, with no single ethnic group forming a majority of the city's population.

As in virtually all parts of Sierra Leone, the Krio language is Freetown's primary language of communication and is by far the most widely spoken language in the city.

So, I found myself at the downtown Restaurant where we scheduled to meet and in no time the Business man joined me.

After going through the menu, I placed my order for grilled fish and potato chips with plenty onions. And for drinks, I asked for old sweet Guinness

We made some small talks while waiting for the lunch to be served. It was my first time in Free Town and he made great efforts to fill me in about the city and its beauties.

Then lunch was served and while at it, we also had all the talk that needed to be talked about Nigeria and its business climate.

Towards the end of the lunch, the waiter brought the bill - gave me mine and gave the man his. I was waiting for the Business man that brought me out to take my bill and pay alongside his, but he just counted the amount on his bill and dropped on the plate.

I looked hard at him, but he was not batting an eye lid or saying anything and in order not to be embarrassed before the waiter, (and thank God I had some Leone with me) I also counted out the amount on my own bill and put into the plate and the waiter left.

As we were about to step out of the Restaurant, I asked him why he did not pick my bill, since it was his idea that we met there for a business lunch and he said "Sorry Doctor that you had to learn it this way, but even though we are in free town, but there is no free lunch here. Everyone picks their bill when they go out for lunch whether on invitation or all alone."

I told him that in Nigeria, when we ask people out for lunch or dinner, we pick the bills and he laughed so hard that I thought I had said something funny; and you know what he ended up saying "Anyway, you Nigerians are all rich because your Country is a rich Country"

So my Country people and friends, should any of you find yourselves in Freetown of Sierraleone, and someone asks you out for lunch or dinner or even breakfast, be sure to have enough Leone in your wallet to avoid any embarrassment.

Cheers

#DrJTF