I was a young man who just graduated from college and didn't want to be a liability to his parents.
Although I studied biology education, I didn't want to teach. Not because I look down on the teaching profession, but because it was too demanding.
My friends were already working in different places: police, army, stores, factories, shops, and so on, some even travelled out in search of greener pastures, but I was still at home doing nothing.
I had guys who are into web3 and were doing well. They opened a group for airdrops and online investments, and they added me and some of our friends to support our financial lives.
I can still remember how my phone froze countless times due to the heavy messages in the group.
“Are you guys ready? Another one is coming shortly,” the admin, a guy whom I don't know, will announce, then send different links and ask us to register following a guide he usually drops if need be.
I downloaded different applications: Telegram, Twitter, Metamask, Trust Wallet, LinkedIn, and many mining applications, of which I don't even know the use.
I was always the guy asking questions in the group due to how easily I get confused.
“Boss, please, I don't understand anything about the last airdrop. Can you help me?” I sincerely opened up in the WhatsApp group one of those days.
“Who is that guy?” The admin responded, highlighting my message.
“John!” He called one of my friends.
“howfar, boss?” my friend replied.
“Remove that guy,” he ordered.
“Omo, don't be offended, he is my friend. He is new to all these,” John pleaded on my behalf.
I was enveloped in shame. Thank God it is online, and the majority of the people in the group are my friends.
“I am sorry, sir,” I quickly apologized and logged out.
Immediately, John called me and apologized, telling me to bear with the admin’s nonchalant attitude.
I let out a deep breath, “Thank you, John.”
After that day, I was never comfortable in the group, and gradually, I started reducing how I participated in the airdrops.
“Don't worry, this is your future you are building. When the tokens we have collected are listed, you would thank the Lord you spent your time mining.” The admin, from time to time, motivates us.
Sometimes, he even pins it in the group. But my passion for the thing was gradually dying.
I needed money, I wanted something reliable, and what airdrop was offering looked long-term and unreliable.
Eventually, I quit and even stopped visiting the group.
One day, I was in my room lying flat on the bed while thinking about my life when John called me on the phone.
“Howfar, my guy?”
“Fine, man,” I responded, my voice sounding deep but low and dull.
“What's up? Why is your voice that way?” He asked.
“Nothing, bro, just thinking about my life,” I answered.
He remained silent for a few minutes, then replied, “What exactly are you thinking about?”
“Finance, of course. Guy, I need a job, I need money. I can't continue to remain a burden to my parents,” I explained.
“I understand,” he responded calmly, after letting out a deep breath.
“That your airdrop thing, I can't really do it. I am not understanding anything, I have not withdrawn anything yet, and I am burning data,” I continued.
“It's fine, things will be fine, okay?” He said with audacity.
“Okay,” I hissed.
“When was the last time you checked the group?” He asked.
“Group, keh? I deleted it, oh,” I replied.
Ah, he exclaimed, “you dey vex o.”
Hahah, I laughed, “Not so, I just don't want false assurance.”
“Okay, I will add you. There is this investment that people have been making money from,” he said, then paused for a moment as though he wanted to be sure I was with him.
ehen, “what is it like?” I quickly responded.
“You will invest money, and then you will get a percentage each day. You can withdraw after one week,” he explained.
Hmm, I sighed, “but you know I don't have any money at the moment, na.”
“Yes, I know, but you can start with any amount; meanwhile, just take your time. I will add you back to the group, see the testimonies from some of our friends and people across the country, and decide for yourself,” he concluded.
“Okay,” I replied.
My phone buzzed immediately. When I checked the notification, I was added to the group. Messages began coming in as if they were just waiting for my arrival.
I had to silence my phone and block notifications to avoid having my phone freeze.
When I started viewing the images, it was payment proof. People were withdrawing money and testifying.
My head went hot, “this is real, oh,” while I was still in that thought, my friend, John, posted “student wallets to the world,” attaching it with his recent withdrawal.
Kai, my morale got high. “I will do this thing,” I said to myself.
Throughout the night, I was online checking about its authenticity, and it seemed to be real.
The next day, I began looking for a loan from people, but no one was ready to give me one. I felt bad because I felt like time was going by and I was missing out.
The only thing I had that could fetch me money at that point was my phone, and since I was desperate, I sold it for the sum of twenty thousand naira and invested it all into the platform.
I had to use my friend's phone to check my account, but since the day I sold my phone, I had a feeling that something was off and that I had made a terrible mistake.
I was able to make one withdrawal, which was two thousand naira, and then the platform started misbehaving.
From one upgrade to another, and finally it crashed, my phone was gone, and I didn't even enjoy anything.
Funny how it didn't take me long to move on. I was deeply hurt, yes, I had nothing after the crash, yes, but I had to let go.
The platform crashed towards the end of that year. It destroyed my passion for online jobs, so I applied for a teaching job. After teaching for a while, I regretted why I didn't even start long ago.
The experience took my phone but left me with lessons. From that time, I haven't invested in anything online that is not decentralized.
Anything that promises to give me double my money without me doing anything for it is a no-go area.
I also learned never to invest or tamper with anything I am not ready to lose. It might look like a bold and sacrificial move, but it's a big setup.
N.B: All Images Were Generated By Gemini AI