Taiwo

When we assumed office, Olumo Rock was generating between ₦3 million and ₦4 million annually. Recognizing its cultural and tourism value, we took the bold decision to temporarily shut it down for comprehensive refurbishment.

When I started working in the bank, my parents lived in Alakuko, so I used to commute from home every day. I would wake up as early as 3am, leave the house before 5am, and sometimes get home by 12am if there was traffic… This particular day, one of my colleagues cooked beans… if you’re a banker, you’ll understand that kind of “beans” 😂 the type that everybody in the branch must eat from. It was a shortage of 500k, so we had to rally around because our BOM insisted the money must be cleared. That kept me very late at work, and I couldn’t travel back to Alakuko that night. I took a bus to Obalende, my plan was to look for a church to sleep in… one thing my mum always told us is that if we are stranded, we should look for a church for shelter. I walked around Obalende and luckily, I saw a white garment church (C&S). I entered and greeted them, but the pastor said they had received a message earlier in the week not to accept any stranger into the church. I left… Then I saw a small bus outside the church, so I entered and sat there because at that point, I didn’t know what else to do. I was even thinking of getting a hotel when a boy came out… he looked about 23–25. He was the son of the woman from the church. He came outside and told me to sneak in. He and his mum took me to a room called ile abo and offered me a net and a mat. That was how I slept there… although I couldn’t sleep till daybreak because I was scared 😔 In the morning, he had already gotten me a new toothbrush. I also got a new dress and changed into it. We exchanged numbers and became very close. He was like a brother to me… That same month, when I got my salary, I bought 5 white garment materials for them. One day, I went to work as usual, and one of my customers mentioned he was looking for a receptionist. I asked for the pay and told him I had a brother who just graduated. He gave me his email address and asked him to send him an email and mention my name. I couldn’t even wait till after work… I called him during my break. He prepared his CV and sent it immediately. He went for the interview a week later and got the job… the pay was 180k for a start That same customer later relocated to the USA in 2024, but before he left, he referred him for an accountant role in one of the big companies on the island. He said my brother was a great guy and he could vouch for him. Today, he’s doing so well for himself, taking care of his family… they no longer live in church anymore 🥹 When I was travelling, he sent me 300k as his own support. There’s no week we don’t FaceTime… We spoke last night when he asked if he should relocate to Germany or the UK for his master’s… he got admission in both countries. I know he’s going to do great things. Anyways, that call was the reason I remembered this story… and I thought to share ❤️ You really never know how far a small act of kindness can go ❤️