The Hidden Box and the Price of Secrets

I hold a quiet belief, and I have for years: that no one ever truly gets trapped or hoodwinked without some layer of selfishness or greed sitting somewhere underneath. I still think I am right. But something shifted some years ago. Whether the change is permanent or not, I do not know. What I do know is that it began with a phone call.

It was during my national service year. I had been chatting with my dear Uncle Derrick, God rest his soul, who was an avid reader of this blog until his passing. Our chats on Facebook were always vibrant, layered, full of gist and deep laughs. He had been talking about coming to Nigeria soon, so when I received a call from a hidden number, I did not think much of it. At that time, calls from abroad often showed up that way.

The voice on the other end said, “Guess who is calling?” Naturally, I blurted out, “Uncle Derrick.”
He replied, “I knew you were always smart. I would have been shocked if you did not figure it out.”
It did not even cross my mind that I had last seen Uncle Derrick when I was just a boy. There was no way I could remember his voice. But that did not matter at the time. I was already inside the story.

He said he had a plan to secretly bring computers into Nigeria. To sell some and use the rest to start a cyber café. He wanted it all to be hush-hush. He trusted only me. He said he had a carton inside the shipment with some money and other “goodies” that even the delivery person did not know about. Once I received the shipment, I would find the marked box, take out the hidden cash, and cover the clearing expenses from it.

I was not to tell a soul.
But I did not have enough to execute the plan, so I reached out to the local contact he gave me and tried to push things forward with what I had. It was not enough. I called my father.

Now, if you know my dad, you know he will not give you a single naira without a full explanation. I said, “I am not supposed to tell you this o, but promise you will keep it a secret.” Then I gave him the whole story.

He listened quietly, then asked, “Are you sure it is your uncle?”

I said yes, without blinking.

He said, “Good. Ask the contact to have him call you again. When he does, ask him a question that only both of you or very few people would know the answer to. When he passes that test, come back and I will give you the money.”

I agreed. That same day, my ‘uncle’ called back, sounding visibly irritated that I had asked him to call. I asked one simple question: “What is the name of Mummy’s daughter?” I meant his own mother’s daughter.

There was silence.

Then he snapped: “Why are you asking me about my mum’s daughter? I hope you have not told her o. I told you to keep this quiet!”

I calmly repeated, “I just need to be sure. What is Mummy’s daughter’s name?”

He exploded in anger and cut the call. Till today, that call never came back. Well, my Aunt does not have a female child. 

Why am I sharing this now?

Because even as smart as I thought I was, I fell for it. And not just fell, I dived in. I even volunteered the information they used to manipulate me. I had faced similar scams before and escaped, but this time, I was blind to the obvious. And that blindness had a source. I wanted the story to be true. I liked the feeling of being the trusted one. I was seduced by the idea of a secret blessing that only I had access to.

Dear friends, we all have blind spots. We all have that place where our desires cloud our discernment. And in moments like that, help is not an insult. It is a gift. No one is above deception. No one is beyond help. But the journey to wisdom begins the moment we acknowledge where we are ignorant.

And to think, each time his call came in, I sneaked away from friends to answer. So our secret would stay secret. Perhaps that is another angle to this: secrets are always dangerous.

Even God, when He began to form the world, started by saying, “Let there be light.” Without exposure, there can be no true formation. Without light, the void remains void.

So, what are you doing in the dark?
What plan are you holding close because it flatters your ego but risks your soul?

Bring it into the light. Watch how things begin to take shape.

Nugget:

The devil never tempts with what you do not want. He tempts with what you secretly desire. And if it must stay hidden, it might not be from God.