2 years ago, on Christmas day, my family and I went to Ikeja City Mall (ICM) to watch ‘Mufasa’… after the movie, we saw an ice-cream stand and we begged our mum to give us, so she agreed.
We were in a long queue for ice-cream.
One stand—crowded, loud, exciting.
Eight flavours. Milkshakes. Variety. Options.
The other stand? Empty.
Then a girl walked up to the empty one.
“What flavours do you have?”
“Vanilla.”
“And…?”
“Only vanilla.”
The girl looked confused.
“But that other stand has like 8 flavours, milkshakes and all… why should I buy from you?”
And the woman said:
“Because it is cold.”
The girl laughed.
“Before nko? Will it be hot?”
And honestly… she had a point.
Because that answer, as simple as it sounded, wasn’t a reason.
It was the bare minimum.
Of course the ice-cream is cold. The other stand’s was cold too.
That’s not a selling point.
That’s the standard.
That’s what it’s supposed to be.
And somehow, that moment to me felt bigger than the ice-cream the girl was talking about.
Because a lot of us move through life like that seller.
Presenting the bare minimum as if it’s something special.
“I’m a good guy.”
“How?”
“I don’t cheat.”
Before nko?
Is that not the standard?
“I’m a serious student.”
“How?”
“I attend classes.”
Before nko?
Is that not expected?
“I’m a good friend.”
“How?”
“I reply messages.”
Before nko?
We’ve gotten so used to doing the least that when we finally meet someone who expects more, it feels like pressure.
But it’s not pressure.
It’s perspective.
That girl didn’t insult the woman.
She just refused to be convinced by something that should already be guaranteed.
And maybe that’s a mindset more of us need.
To stop being impressed by what is normal.
To stop applauding what is expected.
To stop settling for “at least.”
Because not everything that is available is valuable.
And not everything that meets the minimum is worth choosing.
That other stand had options.
Effort. Variety. Intention.
This one had… cold ice-cream.
And maybe that’s the real question:
In a world where people are becoming better, growing, adding value…
what exactly are you offering?
Because if your only answer is
“because it is cold”, don’t be surprised when people walk away laughing.
