The Day I Trusted My Cousin and Lost Everything

Two years ago, I staked my entire savings on a container of tokunbo phones from Lagos. My cousin introduced me to a supplier, said the guy was solid. I didn't check anything. I just paid. N3.5 million gone in one transfer.

When the phones landed in Aba, my heart sank. Dead batteries. Cracked screens hidden under fresh casings. I opened three boxes, all fake. The supplier's line went dead. My cousin said he was as surprised as me. I didn't even have energy to shout.

I lost my shop. I was hiding from my landlord for three months, eating garri and groundnut like a student. My sister was about to resume at UNN, school fees unpaid. That was the lowest point. I remember sitting on a bench at Ariaria, watching people hustle, wondering if I was cursed.

But see, I refused to stay down. I started selling phone cases on the street. Small small. I tested every single phone I bought after that. No more blind trust. Within eight months, I had my shop back. Now I don't buy anything without opening it myself.

That experience taught me something: if the deal is too smooth, check the engine. And never let family be your only due diligence. God is involved, yes, but He gave you brains for a reason.