There's something I feel almost everyone would be able to relate with. When you're angry, your body probably senses danger and produces a hormone called adrenaline which prepares you to attack immediately there is a need to. The same has to do with the mind. This is one reason I always say this, as humans, before we make any decision, we should always try to bring our mind back to its default state which is a state of calmness.
When you're overly excited, sad, or angry, you tend to make mistakes with any decision you make at that moment.
On Friday, 18th of February 2022, I tried transferring all the money I had on my UBA account to my wema bank account.
Before that day, I had been experiencing transaction issues with the UBA bank. Whenever I go to a pos agent, I always have to spend more than 30 minutes there trying to withdraw money. I withdraw by transferring the money to the agent's account because I do not have my atm card with me.
On Friday, I received some money in my UBA account from my hubby. He texted an account to me and asked that I transfer some amount to the account.
Again, for several minutes, I kept trying to transfer the money to that account. Each time I tried, I kept getting replies that the transaction failed and was receiving a debit alert and a credit reversal alert. I got so frustrated and decided to move all the money to my other account. A microfinance bank account that doesn't charge for any transaction made to any bank.
After getting the last reversal from the previously failed transaction, I typed in another account number which was the microfinance bank account, I wrote down the amount and proceeded to transfer all the money in the uba account to the other one.
I was already glad that I was about to be free from the frustration of the UBA bank, unfortunately, I got this response.
Your request is taking longer than usual due to a delayed response from the switch (NIBSS), please try again after a few moments. For further information, please contact our 24/7 customer fulfillment center at cfc@ubagroup.com.
Right after getting that response, I received a debit alert. I patiently waited, hoping to get an immediate reversal like the other ones I've been getting, unfortunately, nothing came in.
I had to call hubby to explain what had happened, he didn't feel good about it, from the way he sounded, it seemed like that was the only money that was going to come into the house for that day.
After speaking with him, I contacted the customer care of the bank and made a complaint, I was told that it takes 24hours to get an automatic reversal and if I don't get it, the complaint would be logged in and it would take three working days for the money to be manually reversed.
I wasn't pleased with that response because the money wasn't mine and I needed to get it as soon as possible yet the bank kept telling me what I didn't want to hear.
Ever since that Saturday till this morning, I sensed that hubby still wasn't cheerful, he had been acting like someone upset. I tried speaking with him on Sunday to find out if there was something else bothering him that I didn't know about, all to no avail, he wasn't ready to communicate, so I just had to let him be. I let him know that when he is ready and feels like talking, he should let me know and I will be ready to listen.
It went on like that till this morning, I still had not gotten a reversal. I called the customer care again and the lady who answered explained that if Saturday was a working day, I would have gotten a reversal but Saturday wasn't a working day, so it wasn't counted, which means that Monday (which is today) completes the 24 hours for automatic reversal. I tried explaining to them that the money is needed for urgent use and I have tried to be patient for 3 days. When I was speaking with her, the 24hrs wait time was already complete.
The lady responded saying that they are sorry about the inconvenience, she went ahead to say that she has lodged a complaint and I will get the reversal within three working days.
Already, I was receiving chats from hubby which were getting me upset. I understood that he was probably having a bad day but I wasn't pleased with the fact that he was attacking me via chats. He kept blaming himself for sending the money to my account and saying that I should have informed him before trying to move all the money to the other account instead of going ahead with it without him being informed. I kept explaining the reason why I had to do so hoping that he would understand and calm himself down. I was trying to do something good, unfortunately, it turned out bad wasn't my fault.
After arguing for some minutes, I got so upset, I didn't have any personal money that I could use in replacing his money that had not been reversed, so, for a moment, I thought about opening the loan app on my phone to borrow the amount and send it to him.
This thought came to my mind because the situation was already getting me upset and if one should analyze it well, it would be seen that it wasn't my fault in the first place but the fault of that bank.
Thank God for the good spirit that ministered to me and made me calm, I would have borrowed the amount that I needed to use in replacing the money, however, it would have come with a huge interest that would be on me to pay back.
The good spirit made me pause and think things through and because of that, I didn't act in anger.
When I was calm, I decided to send a mail to the bank and then I called again. This time it took forever for them to pick up. What helped me was the bonus airtime my network service provider had given me. Someone finally answered so I went over again explaining all about the transaction. I was asked for my account details and some other information. I answered and gave the lady the details she needed.
She responded saying that the money had already been reversed. I wasn't sure if I should be excited yet because I had not received any credit message.
I replied and told the lady that I had been checking my balance and had not seen any alert. She answered and just said check again ma, the money has been reversed.
I went ahead to check my balance, at last, it was reversed.
Immediately, I called hubby to tell him that the money has been reversed, when he replied, I could hear the excitement in his voice, he seemed to not be upset anymore.
The whole point of this story is to encourage everyone to be in control of their feelings. Make sure that you are in a default state of mind which is a state of calmness before making that decision. If I had taken that loan at that moment when I was angry and had given it to hubby to end the argument, not knowing that the bank had already reversed the money soon, the stress of paying back the interest on the loan would have been only on me. As I was about to go ahead with that decision, I was able to pause and think about the consequences. It was something I was going to regret, however, I'm grateful that I was able to calm myself when I was upset, exercised a bit of patience and in the end, everything was good.
There are other scenarios you may find yourself in, try to take a pause and think, don't be moved to make that decision because the situation is pushing you to do so. Be in control.
Also published here