In a heartfelt Facebook post, businesswoman and Pan-Africanist Ramatu Gumah has shed light on an uncomfortable but common issue in many African communities: the strain that unpaid debts place on friendships, families, and trust. Known for her compassion and advocacy for equality and fair treatment of Africans both at home and abroad, Gumah did not hold back in calling out a pattern she believes is eroding relationships.
She writes of people who borrow money with urgency, promising repayment within days, only to disappear for months or even years. What begins as an act of kindness often turns sour, leaving the lender feeling used and betrayed.
“They borrow, they will not pay. They buy and don’t want to pay. Best friends have turned enemies. Close families have turned enemies,” she lamented in her post.
The tone of her message was both personal and universal. Many readers could immediately relate to her frustrations—stories of friends or relatives who once begged for financial help but vanished without honor once the money was handed over. Gumah’s words capture the emotional toll: broken trust, fractured bonds, and the unnecessary tension debt creates when honesty and accountability are absent.
Beyond personal pain, her reflection raises a broader cultural question: how can African societies build stronger systems of trust, financial responsibility, and integrity? As a Pan-Africanist, Gumah often speaks about unity and fairness, and her words serve as a reminder that community growth requires honesty at both individual and collective levels.
Her post is not just a venting of frustration, but also a call for self-reflection.
“You people should stop that,” she wrote, making it clear that unpaid debts are more than a financial issue—they are toxic to relationships and to the spirit of mutual respect.
At its core, Ramatu Gumah’s message is about preserving trust. Whether in business, friendship, or family, trust is the invisible currency that keeps relationships alive. When debt is mishandled, that trust collapses, and rebuilding it becomes almost impossible. Below are her full words.
I still don’t understand why some people will owe you and still expect you to chase them like dogs every.
They borrow, they will not pay.
They buy and don’t want to pay.
Best friends has turned enemies.
Close families has turned enemies.
Because they borrow and don’t want to pay back.Oh sis/bro, am in a deep shit. I have an emergency, please lend me 5000, I will pay back next week, and is been a year already. 😏
You people should stop that shit. Not healthy.
