So basically most of the guys who pop all those champagne and light the bisco’s do not pay a dime at the club whilst you, the guy who gets oppressed, pays full for your drinks and food.

Clubbing in Nigeria is never a dull moment. It’s an opportunity for some to party with friends and for some a getaway from the troubles that come with work and everyday hustle. For some too, it is a clear opportunity to show off immense wealth and self importance. Impressions abound in Nigerian clubs as every one strives to put up an appearance that is classy and distinct. Its a factor club managers know too well and never fail to exploit. Even the ever bumptious bouncers know this which is why they use their powers to deny or allow entry to line their pockets.

A common feature in gaining an impression most Nigerian is the loud buzz of sirens and bisco lights that accompany’s a bottles of champagne when it is being delivered to a customer. For some, a delivery of a bottle of champagne without these two effects is unacceptable. Sometimes, the big boys ordering do not just order one or two, they order a bucket full of 10, some two buckets. A bottle by the way can range from between N25,000 to N75,000 depending on the brand being bought. So at N25,000 a bucket full of champaign will be worth N250,000!!!

Just how do people afford to pay for these things when all some can afford is just a bottle of beer? A club manager explained that most clubs in Lagos give out generous credit lines to “VIP’s” on a regular basis. These are the guys who get to set the tone for how classy the club is perceived over time. For example, on the first day the VIP’s attend the clubs they make a loud impression on party goers and club owners by consuming a lot of expensive drinks and paying for it with cash in the full glare of all present.

This gesture never goes unnoticed and is reciprocated by the club managers who do not hesitate to accord them special membership status. Sometimes this is on demand from the customers and at times on the insistence of the club owners. Whatever the case is it boils down to the customers getting a huge credit line which enables them even incur more bills as they consume a lot more when they do not need to pay immediately.

So basically most of the guys who pop all those champagne and light the bisco’s do not pay a dime at the club whilst you, the guy who gets oppressed, pays full for your drinks and food. Yet the guy who pays full never is allowed to get into the VIP or treated in a manner worthy of a paying customer.

Giving credit to big customers is a common parlance in most businesses however it is also equally important to treat with utmost respect customers who pay for your beverage and food at the time of consumption rather than later. These are the guys who make your business solvent and have the cash to open the next day. According to reliable sources, most clubs often go bust because of the huge pile up of debts that they are being owed by VIP costumers. Some they say even end up negotiating payment at a 15%-30% discount off the prices that they owe, eroding more value for the club owners finances.

We like to party and we like to impress, but whenever you up in a club and you see some dude popping bottles and surrounded by loads of beautiful women, don’t be dejected its all set up. And like Wizkids says, “your money and their money nor be mate”.

* Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.