These days, being at the right place and at the right time
may not just be enough but using the right public relations
stunt may seal the deal.
Three beggars went to a popular street of Lagos to solicit
for alms.
Two of the three beggars had arrived five hours earlier
with their paraphernalia of office: a small mat, a small
tent and 2 small plates in their hands.
They used the same plates for two purposes, to collect
alms and to buy foods.
When these two beggars arrived at the spot at 10.00 a.m.
they spread
the tent and the mat and the business of the day began.
Three hours later, they barely made money that could buy
them lunch as people were giving them only their chicken
changes. Their method of begging was, "please bless me
and God will bless you ten folds"
Five hours later, the third beggar arrived at the same spot
with a big basket in his hand. He had no tent to shield himself
from the scorching sun nor the mat to sit on. He went
straight to his two professional colleagues and asked them
to lend him money to buy food before he started the business
of the day. They turned him down and charged at him for
coming late. They also told him to keep a distance away
from them so as not to be deprived of the opportunity to
share the spot with them.
The man calmly left their spot and moved to other location
just across the street where they could easily see one another.
Still hungry with no single kobo in his pocket, he went to
a food seller and whispered something to her ear.
On hearing that, the woman swiftly gave him a new plate
with food and assorted meats and drinks all for free.
The man sat under the food seller's tent and consumed
all his food. He washed it down with juice and water. He rested
for another fifteen minutes and
left with a free bottle of Coca-Cola.
On arriving at his spot, he waved at his two friends across
the street who earlier chased him away. They could see
that his big basket was still empty but when this beggar
sprang into action, the whole place stood still for him.
The people noticed his method of begging and they couldn't
resist giving him.
"Remember the blessings of Dasuki " the man said.
Please, Dasuki me and God will Dasuki you, Dasuki me and
God will Dasuki you...he kept repeating this...and guess
what happened next: the rich and the mighty were falling over
one another to give this beggar money. Foreign currencies
from Japanese Yens, the British Pound Sterling with
its sterling quality, the US Dollars, the Saudi Riyadh started to pour in.
Other passers-by who had no cash on them dropped their
ATM cards with their pin numbers with the aim of getting back
their money not just in ten folds, hundred folds, thousand
folds but in "DASUKI FOLDS"
Unlike other two beggars who prayed for their givers to be
blessed ten folds, this guy applied the public relations strategy
that worked. By the time his big basket was full, he was looking
to share some of his money with the two other beggars but
unfortunately for them, they had left. He also went back to
the woman who gave him free food for whispering "Dasuki
Blessings" to her ear. This beggar gave the woman $500
and promised never to beg again because under 30 minutes
he got enough that could last him throughout his lifetime.
For those of you who don't know who Dasuki is, please don't ask
me, just Google his name.
In America, they call him Santa Claus, in Nigeria, we call
him Santa D.A.S.U.K.I.
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