By Jerry Ochada
On the 14th day of November, 2021, I was whisked away from my residence at about 23:52 hours by law enforcement agents.
What was my offence?
I introduced a jobless friend to someone to assist him in facilitating a placement. My introduction was borne out of pity, as he was always pleading with me to assist him in getting a job in the agency where I work. I politely told him the truth: my office was not recruiting.
To cut a long story short, he transacted directly with the man and paid the sum of ₦800,000. He paid the said sum directly into the “facilitator’s” account. After many months, and the job was not forthcoming, he approached me and fiercely demanded a refund. On my part, I started disturbing the link who connected me to the facilitator. At some point, he promised to refund, but my friend insisted he did not want a refund anymore.
According to him, he would wait for the completion of the process. I was surprised. Barely a month after, he started calling me again with threats of reporting me to the police. Throughout the whole puzzle and tussle, I always picked his calls, which were always filled with threats. I was bitter but chose not to react because it was his right – his hard-earned money.
It got to a point where I gave my car to another friend who is a car dealer to assist me to sell. I needed to refund his money to have peace of mind. A week after giving my car to the dealer, I was arrested and detained for three nights! My only crime was a bid to assist a friend in getting a better source of living. I was the connector and also doubled as the GUARANTOR.
I was released on the 17th of November 2021 after his money was refunded. Tragically, all my life, nobody had ever reported me or gotten me arrested. It was my first arrest and detention. In all honesty, I have forgiven him, but I still did not learn my lesson.
The following year (2022), I also signed a guarantor form for another friend. He left with the company’s property worth ₦200,000. I was mandated to produce my friend or pay the money. I traced him. He told me the company owed him for some months. I advised him to return the company’s property.
His response marvelled me: “So, it’s the company you’re supporting against me? Make I return am, so that my own money will just go?” If I return this thing, dem no go pay me again oo.” This was his reply to my plea. I painfully explained how my own job was presently at stake because they promised to come to my office to arrest me if I failed to produce him or pay for the company’s property in his custody.
He said I should stop picking their calls. I was dumbfounded. I had to involve another friend to talk to him. He later agreed. He returned the property through one of his colleagues because he was scared of arrest. I narrowly escaped another arrest because I was his GUARANTOR.
My third experience was with a member of the Gen Z generation. A lawyer friend whom I hold in high esteem requested that I serve as a guarantor for his nephew. I obliged, even though I barely knew the dude. The day he came to meet me at a garden, I gave him my identity card to go and make a photocopy.
I also sent him a soft copy of my passport to print and affix it on the guarantor form. Everything went smoothly, only for him to call me months later. He said he was no longer interested in the job. However, he had a new offer and still wanted me to serve as a GUARANTOR.
I told him I presently did not have an active identity card due to promotion. My office was yet to issue another ID card capturing my new designation. He said it was not an issue, as he still had a photocopy of the previous card. Upon inquiry, I got to know that he had made extra copies the previous time I gave him the ID card.
He was also having my passport because I had previously sent him a soft copy. In short, I would not have known had it been his new job did not insist he take them to his guarantor’s office. He came with a representative of his new job. I went on to sign.
His uncle, who directed him to me, is someone I respect, and till this moment, I did not mention this ugly experience to him, but it was the end of a chapter. I stopped signing GUARANTOR FORMS because of the lingering problems and bad experiences I had.
Human beings behave differently, but how can I predict their behavior? Lest I forget, a young man from my local government whom I didn’t know from anywhere but assisted him to serve as a Guarantor was in my residence on the 31st of December 2024.
He brought some goodies. I was surprised. I didn’t request for it. He was appreciative. We still have responsible people out there.
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Please, stop pushing your guarantors into troubles. Do not allow our good heart to harden.
Don’t allow other innocent applicants suffer the outcome of your bad characters.
In life, we all need someone to serve as our GUARANTORS. Don’t spoil the show.
We rise by lifting others, please don’t crucify us?
© Ajogwu Black Lion 2024
