The land I bought in Lekki had three other owners before me

2022. I had saved for two years. Every month I was sending 20% to my mother, living on the rest, and stacking the balance for one thing: land in Lekki.

My guy introduced me to an agent. Sharp guy, wore white Agbada, spoke with confidence. He showed me a plot near Ajah, C of O and all. ₦4.5m. I paid in two tranches.

Six months later I drove there to take pictures for my mother. Another man was on the land with his own surveyor. We compared documents. Same plot. Same seller. Two different buyers.

I called the agent. He said "oga calm down, na mistake." Mistake. Chei.

I ran the numbers. I had lost ₦4.5m and gained a very expensive lesson about Lagos real estate. The seller had sold that same land to at least four people. We later found out he was already in court with two others.

What pained me was not the money. It was that I ignored the small voice that said "verify the title yourself before you pay." I wanted the land so badly I skipped the homework. Greed is a quiet thing. It does not shout. It just makes you hurry.

I still have not bought land since. But I have learned to check, double check, and check again. If you are buying land in Lagos, do not trust the agent's smile. Trust the registry.