The day I trusted a friend with my savings and he vanished

In 1985, I was a young clerk in the ministry. I had saved ₦800 over two years, a tidy sum then. A man I called my brother, we grew up in the same compound in Ibadan, came to me with a story about a land deal in Oyo town. He said if I invest, I would double my money in six months. I gave him the whole amount, no receipt, no witness.

Six months passed. No land, no profit, no friend. He relocated to Lagos and I never saw him again. That money was supposed to help me marry my wife. We waited two more years before we could do the wedding. My mother said, 'Omo eniyan kii gbekele omo eniyan' , do not put your trust in another person's child.

I learned that day that money matters are sacred. In the civil service, we had a saying: 'Trust but verify.' If a deal is too sweet, it is probably rotten. Now when my grandchildren ask me why I keep my savings in the bank and not with friends, I tell them this story. The bank may fail you, but a friend can fail you and break your heart at the same time. Have you ever lost money to someone you trusted?