I am expecting judgment, so bring it. Two years ago, I was 26, unemployed, and drowning in debt. I owed loan apps. I owed friends. I owed my landlord. My parents are comfortable but believe in "tough love." They had refused to help me because "I needed to learn responsibility." I was desperate. I disappeared for 48 hours. I turned off my phone. I had a friend send a message to my family claiming I had been kidnapped and the ransom was ₦2 million. My parents paid. I "escaped" and returned home, traumatized and grateful. I used the money to clear my debts, start a small business selling phone accessories, and rebuild. Today, my business is thriving. I have repaid my parents indirectly through gifts and support. They never found out. And I lie awake some nights wondering what kind of person I am. But I also lie awake knowing that if I had not done it, I might have taken my own life. The loan apps were threatening me. The shame was killing me. Nigeria creates desperation. The system offers no bankruptcy protection, no mental health support, no safety net. When you fall, you fall alone. I am not proud of my method. But I am proud that I survived. Would you ever consider an extreme act to escape financial ruin? Or am I simply a criminal who got lucky? Let's hear from the desperate and the judgmental.
