Oh, you don’t know I know these things. Gregory, my last child is an influencer of some sort in Canada, he gists me about all these things. In fact, he told me I could be an influencer once I can identify what I like. He even created a Tik-Tok account for me.
The vicar continued laughing while he walked through the church corridor…okay grandma we will do something about it. God bless you ma.
About two weeks after, Mrs. Oxbridge was invited to speak to the Fellowship of Vicars’ Wives on financial literacy.
Oh, I never knew there will be a day like this, that I will be standing to speak in a room filled with so many people.
Why did It take me so long? Me a 65-year-old woman speaking about financial literacy, my most passionate topic, at my retirement age.
What happened to me?
How come I wasted so much time?
Perhaps schooling, marriage, childbearing, or simply distraction got a hold of me.
Well, here I am today. There is a popular Igbo saying….“Whenever you wake up, that is your morning”. I believe this means that your beginning starts whenever you’re ready and everyone has their personal race in life. We all have varying paths. So because of this, I will not be too hard on myself or any of my age group that is here listening to me.
Mrs. Oxbridge spilled her thoughts in a very emotional manner, as she speaks at the Inaugural session for Vicars’ wives across the federation. This event was put together by her Vicar at the Ikoyi branch, in Lagos.
I want to say a big Thank You to our Vicar, the Son of the Late Arch-Bishop who baptized me as a baby here in this church. Today seems to be all shades of emotions for me. I wish my dear Chief (Referring to her husband) was here to listen to me.
I am making you proud, Mrs. Oxbridge looked up as if she was referring to her late husband up in the heavens.
Where do I start?
Let me start from where I am without making too much reference to the past. Every woman needs to retire well, when I say retire well, I mean to plan your retirement 20 years ahead. Don’t say that’s not for me, I’m below 40…I am far from retirement. In fact, your age is the best time to plan for retirement.
So, you can look at ‘sixty-five’ in the face and you say…. “I am comfortable”, “I can take care of myself”.
”I will not be a charity case to my children”.
The truth is eighty percent of what I am about to share with you all today, I didn’t do them, I didn’t have the privilege to hear anyone speak to me this way. I was young, pretty, energetic, and living my life like a queen, with no idea of how to grow wealth. I thought all I needed was to go to school, get a job, marry a rich man and have children.
No one told me the things I am about to tell you all today. I had no access to any book on financial things or even money. I just thought once I either get a job and receive a salary every month or I just marry a rich man that will take care of all my money issues, I will be fine. Yes, I was lucky all these happened to me, but there could have been more.
Today I urge you all to open your mind as I share the wealth of my experience and knowledge gained over time from books, self-learning, mentoring, and personal development.
After this, a lot of you will have to reassess your financial stability. Check your financial well-being.
I am a proud 65-year-old woman, sixty-five is that age when you can speak to anyone, you can say anything and get away with it, after all not many people are older than me here…abi… Vicar se.. bi.. I am free to speak my mind. Mrs. Oxbridge asked the Vicar.
Yes, you are free grandma. He answered smiling and whispering a few words to his wife beside him.
To be continued.
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