My uncle's cocoa cooperative taught me a lesson about trust and money

Two years ago, I went back to Akure with this grand plan to digitize my uncle's cocoa cooperative. I had the app, the farmers were on board, I even put in my own savings. The cooperative secretary, a man everyone called 'Brother,' was the one handling the funds.

Long story short, Brother disappeared with the money. I had to face the farmers, explain that their investment was gone. My uncle just looked at me, disappointed. I was the tech guy who brought the problem.

That experience taught me something. Trust is good, but verification is better. In Nigeria, if you're not watching your money, someone else will. I still believe in tech for rural communities, but now I ask more questions. What would you do if someone you trusted with money let you down?