By Simbiat Amzat
Luck shone on Olufunke when she got an employment offer from a top construction company in Abuja right after completing her service year. She was determined to make a lasting impression and stay out of any trouble that came her way.
Everything was going well until one day, she stumbled upon documents that could change the trajectory of the lives of so many people, including herself. Her boss was a drug peddler, and the company she had grown to love was a front to launder the proceeds from the crime.
As she dug deeper, she found out that her boss uses a travel promo scam to lure individuals into agreeing to travel and then plants the drugs into their luggage to take abroad. The discovery left her in utter disarray, especially when she found out that some people who traveled abroad never made it back home.
Funke was scared, shocked, and clueless about what to do next.
Should she mind the business that pays her, focus on being a good staff, and enjoy her 1.5 million Naira a month job?
Should she break the mold and report to the authorities directly?
What if her boss finds out and decides to turn the situation against her?
What if she becomes a target and she is killed?
Days ran into months, and Funke’s conscience about the lives lost would not let her be. She weighed her options and realized that blowing the whistle would not be easy. But she also knew that she could not just keep quiet. She thought about all the families who would never see their loved ones again and those who could still fall into the trap much later.
How long will this go on if she does not take action immediately? There and then, she knew she had to do something.
Funke decided it was best to confide in her best friend, Ifeoma, who was a journalist. Ify would help her find a way out. Hearing the story, Ifeoma was shocked at how much corruption could exist in an organization that was the dream of young engineers. She promised Funke to help expose the truth by handling it anonymously. But first, she suggested that they take all the evidence to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Funke was hesitant at first, but Ifeoma convinced her that the EFCC was the right place to start, with hopes that the EFCC would investigate the source of income and they would find other crimes that involved drugs and human trafficking. Maybe then they could charge Mr. Adebunmi and bring justice to his victims.
They submitted the evidence, and the EFCC sprang into action. They launched a thorough investigation, and soon, the organization was sealed, and several officials were arrested and charged with money laundering. The whole process was transparent and fair, and sooner than Ifeoma and Funke thought, the case was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution.
The news of the arrests broke. Funke had never been proud of herself like she was. She had taken a huge risk on her life and career by blowing the whistle, but witnessing the new situation has brought her fulfillment and relief. She was surprised that Nigerian institutions had worked as they should, and justice had been served. It was refreshing to see that she could cause change to happen. Funke knew that she had played a small part in making Nigeria a better place, and she was grateful for that. Her mind wondered what the country would be like if we all spoke or did something in the face of crime or corruption.
She smiled as the image started to develop in her mind.
***
At Shades of Us, we believe that everyone should stand against corrupt practices. A sane and peaceful society exists when individuals, families, and institutions hold themselves to standards of honor and justice. 
