By Marvelous Fatu
One cloudy morning last month, Damilola Soetan attended a conference in the heart of Abuja and met a kindness of a type she barely expected.
In her words, “Whenever I think about it, I still get stunned. I hadn’t experienced such before, and to think it happened in a time like this- when the Nigerian economy is depreciating,”
Soetan had just completed her national youth service and was working tirelessly as a marketer for a real estate company.
The real estate company assured her of a 5% commission on any sale of land and property her client purchases.
She, along with eight other marketers from the company, was at the conference at Cubana Hotel, Jabi, and they were there to get customers, so they went with the company’s flier.
Their goal was to network and find potential clients interested in purchasing land or properties.
At the conference, Soetan noticed a fair, full-bodied woman who seemed approachable. After the meeting, she decided to strike up a conversation with her, hoping to convince her to purchase a piece of land or property from her company.
After the meeting, Soetan approached her as her other colleagues went in search of potential clients.
“I was a bit nervous when I approached her, I mentally prepared myself for the right words to say,”
The woman, whom Soetan described as Mrs Ajiboye, was responsive. She listened attentively as Soetan explained the benefits of owning a land.
“I told her that getting a land would be beneficial to her. Lands are assets, and since she was at the conference, she was obviously interested in Agriculture. I made her see reasons as to how the land would help in the production of crops and husbandry.”
Ajiboye smiled and told her that she was not financially buoyant enough to get land but is certain of her children purchasing one.
In their course of discussion, Soetan got to know that Mrs Ajiboye was a pastor and that they were both residents of the same community: Abacha Road, Maraba.
Soetan respected her honesty of being financially limited and was about to bid her farewell when Mrs Ajiboye surprised her by extending an invitation.
“She invited me to meet her at Mountain of Fire Miracles and Ministries, church, Abacha road branch. I was to meet her on a Sunday afternoon at her office. She wanted us to talk more. She got my number, and we went our separate ways,”
“Three days later, on the 17th of September, I was at the church. I contemplated not going before, but I am very glad I did. Finding the church was not difficult because I had been walking past it until that day. I met the security man at the gate and told him her name. I was taken to her office,”
Soetan and Ajiboye were engaged in heartfelt conversations about life, the importance of long-term investments and property ownership.
When Soetan made to leave, Mrs Ajiboye handed her an envelope. It was 10,000 naira.
She was taken aback by this act of kindness. Soetan claims it was sudden and unexpected.
“Mrs Ajiboye simply pushed the money further in my palms, saying that she just wanted me to have it,” She recounted to Prime Progress.
Soetan was deeply touched by Mrs Ajiboye’s generosity.
Their chance encounter at the conference had blossomed into a beautiful friendship built on kindness and genuine connections.
Mrs Ajiboye may not have purchased a property at that moment, but the invaluable lesson she imparted to Soetan of the power of kindness and the importance of nurturing relationships would stay throughout her life.
She learned that success in real estate required more than just selling properties; it demanded building meaningful relationships and providing guidance to potential buyers. Soetan was grateful for the lesson she had learned from Mrs Ajiboye.
It instilled in her a deeper understanding of the value of kindness and the importance of connecting with people on a personal level.
As Soetan returned home that day, she couldn’t help but smile, knowing that behind every busy face on the street, a connection might be waiting to be made and perhaps another opportunity for kindness to be shared.
