….karma is real, we should be mindful of our ways

When I relocated to Abuja with my family in 2020 January, my plans of proceeding to Guinea Bissau on media assignment was truncated by Coronavirus lockdown of that year.

In 2021, immediately after the pandemic everyone were head over heal with himself trying to readjust to new realities in Nigeria and the world. One day I met one man they called CHIEF whose rented duplex was opposite my house in our estate and we found out we were both from OHAFIA LGA. He was from Mkporo while I am from Okon-Aku and my uncle that brought me up, Mr Ukwa, thought him in primary school at Mkporo. Gradually we got close.

He was always telling me about opportunities of helping people travel out of Nigeria to Korea, China and other places and said that was his business as a Big Man, I believed him because he was comfortable enough. I had to announce the travel opportunity but didn’t get serious clients, I forgot the offer and the possible commission. However, I thank God today that I didn’t involve anyone with this because I would’ve been a bigger mess today.

Later, he brought up another story of connection to Civil Service Commission which he is enjoy through his relationship with former Abia State governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, his younger brother Mascot Uzor Kalu, Chief Arua Arunsi and other notable politicians from Abia State . As a new comer to Abuja, every of his stories sounded hopeful and reassuring and it never occured to me that a man that knew me to my uncle will dare to scam me, He later gave me the opportunity to ger my wife a federal work, so I filled the form he gave to me and and returned it with joy. At least a good opportunity has come.

After some time, he told me there was opening for employment in NSCDC where he has got 5 slots through men i mentioned earlier, that I should get interested candidates to apply. he said they will pay N300,000 each. They were to pay at least N200,000 and pay the balance when they get employed. He even promised me 10% commission of every successfully employed person I introduced. So excited, I swung into action and gathered people. My wife who always supports me in every positive thing even introduced her primary school friend @ugochukwu who paid the N200,000 cash which I forwarded to CHIEF. One of my trusted friends @Nina introduced her brother in-law because she trusted me genuinely. Little did I know that I was walking into a trap. They paid N150,000 which I forwarded. I got another candidate who paid N150,000 and my own brother inlaw paid N150,000. So I forwarded a total of N650,000 to help people get employment like my wife was going to get. I was sure the process will complete within one month by the way he was boasting about it.

The delinma was that I gave them assurance that if the work didn’t get through I will resend them their money because that’s the assurance CHIEF gave me with daily update of every moves he’s was making. It was later that I began to hear scores from people within, so I prayed not to believe the possibility and even falls out with my wife on few occasions when she try to get negative about it. You know women are closer to every neighborhood and gets the real gists.

Like joke, days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, the story remained the same. My wife didn’t get any work and those that paid didn’t get. At a point, the pressure for a refund from the people I brought became so much on me that I had to start borrowing online to manage the money, thereby incuring moe debts to over a million Naira. yet he never for one day said the job will not be available.

Gradually I have paid at least N400,000 of the money through some strong arrangements and cash remaining N250,000 which I am strategizing to offset because i had to pause paying anyone to face cleaning online loans that was not just mounting, but had become an embarrassment. Till today I am still trying to recover from the ordeal because I am yet to believe that this actually happened.

The annoying thing is that when I started honey business for my wife in 2022, as my Oga, I took the product to sample to him and the wife which they bought up to N21,000 worth of the product and said the wife will be paid the next Thursday which was 2 days away as I came on Tuesday, so I was to expect my money on Friday. Two month after I didn’t get the money and I decided to let go because it was then that I realized his actions to me was intentional. If I call him he will say he’s been sick and that I am not keeping touch again. that’s because I relocated from the neighborhood in 2022 before I even gave him the honey.

The reason for my story is that my wife called me 2 days ago, precisely 7th April 2024, as I am away on official assignment and told me the CHIEF has died. Of a truth, I didn’t know if I was angry, sad or sorry for him, but the bottom line is that I trusted him wholly and he failed me wholly.

I am glad I never wished him bad or insulted him, I had to bear my cross with faith that I will come out of the mess one day. I remember calming my wife down anytime she brought up the man’s issue because the debt I faced was affecting her and my kids too. She will end up say “That Chief! That Chief! Hmm!”. I know that if I set my wife on him, or gave her permission to recover the money using women methods she would’ve succeeded or failed, but somehow something in me didn’t let her and I never fought him in any way.

All I can say is: May His Soul Rest in Peace as it is not in my place to judge him.

My Name is Amos Oge Kalu, this was my WELCOME TO ABUJA ORDEAL.

This is the first time I am telling this story since 2021. Even the people I am paying back never knew what happened because they said they don’t care. They refused to even call him to make any demands for the man to believe they were on my neck. I had to bear the cross alone.