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A seemingly benign visit to a local shop took a troubling turn for a woman who left her power bank for charging, only to find it marked with a derogatory term upon her return.
The incident occurred when the woman entrusted her power bank to the shop owner for charging while she ran errands. In an attempt to differentiate her device from others being charged in the shop, the shop owner inscribed the word "Asewo" on the power bank. While he may have thought this was a practical solution, the term has deeply offensive implications in Nigerian slang, commonly associated with promiscuity.
When the woman returned to collect her charged power bank, she was taken aback to see the inappropriate label. Her immediate outrage turned what should have been a routine transaction into a public confrontation, attracting the attention of bystanders.
The incident resulted to misunderstanding and disrespect. The shop owner’s choice of words, while intended to identify a device, ultimately undermined the dignity of the customer who placed her trust in him. What began as a simple charging service has unveiled a larger conversation about the use of language and respect in local business interactions.