13/05/2026
TRUE LIFE STORY š”
In 1990, Tony, Paul, and John were close friends. They all lived in rented apartments in Ikoyi and worked as managers in different companies in Lagos.
One day, they attended a party hosted by another friend who was a bank branch manager. The party was held in his newly built house around Ikotun.
When they arrived, they were shocked.
āHow can someone leave Ikoyi to come and build in this kind of local area?ā John asked.
Tony laughed and said,
āI prefer to live in Ikoyi than anywhere else in Lagos. Na there life dey.ā
Their friend smiled and jokingly replied,
āNa Ikoyi you wan die put?ā
Everyone laughed.
Then he added:
āGuess what? I bought this land for ā¦500,000 per plot. Thatās even more than what we pay yearly for rent in Ikoyi ā and I bought 6 plots.ā
Paul responded confidently:
āOne day, Iāll buy a house in Ikoyi, demolish it, and build my dream mansion there.ā
John shook his head.
āI canāt live here. Itās too far. Thereās no life here. Are you sure this place is still Lagos?ā
Years passedā¦
Two years later, Tony bought 2 plots in Ikotun, built a duplex, rented it out, but still continued paying rent in Ikoyi.
Paul later lost his job and moved to Surulere because he could no longer afford rent in Ikoyi. He got married and had 3 children. After a year, he got another job and continued managing life.
Johnās company downsized, and he lost his job too. He traveled back to the East to survive.
Five years later, John returned to Lagos with a new job. He rented a 3-bedroom apartment in Akesan, Igando, where he now lives with his wife and 5 children.
Sadly, Paul passed away. His wife later got a job in Festac, but the family could no longer afford rent in Surulere, so they moved to Iba, around LASU-Isheri Road.
And their friend?
He also lost his job eventually.
But because he had invested in land early, he sold 4 plots for ā¦8 million, started a business, and today lives happily in his own house.
MORAL LESSON:
Donāt only invest where people call āhigh class.ā
Sometimes, the places people ignore today become tomorrowās goldmine.
Real estate is not about status.
It is about vision, patience, and future security.
