Story - The Straight Road Through Victoria Island (Based on Proverbs 11: 5 & 6)
The
Straight Road Through Victoria Island
The
morning traffic along Victoria Island was already impatient.
Horns
blared. Street vendors wove through cars. Billboards flashed promises of fast
money and faster success. In the glass towers rising over Lagos, dreams were
traded every day—some honest, some not.
Tunde
Adeyemi stood by the wide window of his office on the tenth floor of Eko
Meridian Towers, staring down at the city that had shaped him. He had grown up
in a modest home in Surulere, raised by a mother who quoted Scripture like
breathing.
“The
righteousness of the upright shall direct his way…” she used to say whenever
Tunde faced a difficult choice.
Back
then, he had rolled his eyes.
Now,
those words echoed in his chest.
1.
The Offer
At
thirty-two, Tunde was already a rising star in a real estate development firm.
Investors trusted him. Clients liked him. His colleagues admired his
discipline.
But
admiration did not pay as loudly as corruption did.
That
morning, his boss, Chief Babalola, called him into the executive office. The
man’s agbada shimmered like success itself.
“We
have a government housing contract coming,” Chief said smoothly. “Very
profitable. But we need to… adjust a few numbers.”
Tunde
understood immediately.
Inflated
costs. Substandard materials. Kickbacks.
“It’s
how the game is played,” Chief added. “Everyone benefits.”
Everyone
except the families who would one day live in those houses.
Tunde’s
pulse quickened. This deal would secure his future—new car, better apartment,
financial security for his widowed mother.
“Think
about it,” Chief said, smiling. “Don’t let unnecessary righteousness slow you
down.”
Unnecessary
righteousness.
The
words stung.
2.
The Crossroads
That
evening, Tunde drove past Third Mainland Bridge, watching the sun melt into the
lagoon. Lagos was beautiful from a distance—orderly lights, endless potential.
Up
close, it was complicated.
His
friend Kunle called him.
“Guy!
This is your chance. Do you know how many people pray for this kind of
opportunity? Just do it smartly. No one will know.”
No
one will know.
But
Tunde would know.
And
God would know.
He
remembered his mother’s small sitting room. The cracked leather sofa. The
nights when power outages forced them to study by lantern. She had refused
shortcuts when others took them. Refused bribes in her civil service job.
Refused to falsify documents.
They
had struggled.
But
she had slept peacefully.
3.
The Decision
The
following week, Tunde walked back into Chief Babalola’s office.
“I
can’t adjust the numbers,” he said quietly. “If we build, we build right.”
The
room fell silent.
Chief
leaned back, studying him. “You think you are better than the system?”
“No,
sir,” Tunde replied. “I just want to walk straight.”
Chief’s
face hardened. “Then you’re off the project.”
Just
like that.
Months
of preparation vanished. His promotion disappeared. Colleagues avoided eye
contact. Kunle called him foolish.
And
for a moment—just a moment—Tunde wondered if he had made a mistake.
4.
The Snare
Three
months later, the news broke.
The
housing project had collapsed before completion. Shoddy foundations. Inferior
cement. Funds diverted.
An
investigation followed. Arrests were made.
Chief
Babalola’s name filled the headlines.
Tunde
watched the report from his modest apartment, heart pounding. He imagined if he
had signed those documents. His signature would have been there. His career
destroyed. His freedom at risk.
The
very scheme that promised success had become a trap.
Meanwhile,
an independent investor who had quietly admired Tunde’s refusal reached out.
“I
need someone trustworthy,” the man said. “I’ve heard about you.”
This
time, the project was transparent. The contracts were clean. The
foundation—literal and moral—was strong.
It
was slower money.
But
it was steady.
5.
The Straight Path
Years
later, the housing estate stood complete—solid buildings, safe walls, families
laughing in courtyards.
At
the dedication ceremony, Tunde spotted his mother in the crowd. Her eyes shone
with pride.
“You
chose well,” she whispered.
Tunde
looked around at the children playing on paved walkways, at the structures that
would not collapse, at the peace in his own heart.
In
a city famous for shortcuts, he had taken the long road.
And
it had led him somewhere safe.
6.
The Lesson in the City
In
Lagos, it often seems that cunning wins. That bending the rules brings faster
reward. That integrity is naïve.
But
the story of Tunde proved something deeper:
When
a person chooses what is right, even when it costs them, that very
righteousness becomes a guide—like a compass pointing through the chaos.
And
when someone chooses deceit, that same deceit tightens like a net around their
own feet.
The
city still roared. Traffic still blared. Temptations still whispered.
But
somewhere in Victoria Island stood buildings that would not fall—because one
man refused to.
And
in his quiet apartment at night, Tunde slept peacefully.
Which,
in Lagos, was wealth beyond measure.
“The
righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight,
but
the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.
The
righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but
the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.”
🌿
Reflection
In
a fast-moving urban world like Lagos, success often appears tied to shortcuts.
Integrity can feel slow. Honesty can look naïve. Compromise can seem practical.
But
this proverb reveals something deeper:
1.
Righteousness is Direction
Integrity
doesn’t just make us “good.” It guides us.
When
we choose what is right, even under pressure, our path becomes clearer.
Decisions become simpler. Our conscience becomes steady. We may not avoid
difficulty, but we avoid confusion.
2.
Wickedness is Self-Destructive
Notice
the wording: the wicked are not merely defeated — they are brought down by
their own wickedness.
Corruption
carries its own trap. Lies multiply. Fear increases. One compromise demands
another. What looked like opportunity becomes a snare.
3.
Deliverance Comes from Upright Living
Righteousness
doesn’t mean life is easy. It means when danger comes, we are not entangled in
what destroys others. Integrity may cost in the short term, but it protects in
the long term.
🌍
Application
Here
are practical ways to live out Proverbs 11:5–6 in everyday life:
1.
Choose Clarity Over Convenience
When
faced with a decision, ask:
Will
this bring peace later?
Would
I be comfortable if this became public?
If
the answer is no, that may be your warning.
2.
Refuse “Small” Compromises
Most
major falls begin with tiny permissions:
“It’s
just a small lie.”
“Everyone
does it.”
“It
won’t matter.”
Small
compromises shape big consequences.
3.
Build a Reputation for Integrity
Over
time, people learn who can be trusted. And trust is one of the most powerful
currencies in business, ministry, leadership, and relationships.
4.
Trust Long-Term Justice
Integrity
may look slow, but it builds foundations that do not collapse. Even if
recognition delays, peace does not.
Heavenly
Father,
In
a world where shortcuts look attractive and compromise feels normal, give me
the courage to walk uprightly.
When
temptation whispers that integrity is unnecessary, strengthen my heart.
When
I feel pressure to bend the truth, remind me that righteousness is my
protection.
Guard
me from desires that would trap me.
Direct
my path with Your wisdom.
Help
me choose what is right even when it is costly.
Let
my life be built on foundations that will not collapse.
Deliver
me from hidden snares, and make my steps straight before You.
In
Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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