A Nigerian businesswoman, Motunrayo, has broken down in tears in a viral video after losing N10 million she had saved over a year through a traditional ajo contribution scheme. The coordinator has refused to release her payout, leaving her devastated and without recourse despite police involvement.
A Year of Sacrifice, Gone in an Instant
Motunrayo, who spoke in a broken voice in the recording shared on X, explained that the savings were the result of relentless work over an extended period, with no indulgence along the way. She emphasized that every naira was earmarked exclusively for expanding her factory, not for personal spending or luxury.
"Day and night all I ever did was to work, work and work," she said in the video. The businesswoman added that this was her first time participating in an ajo scheme, making the betrayal feel even more personal. July was supposed to be her turn to collect the pooled contributions, a milestone she had worked towards for months.
Betrayal and Failed Recovery Efforts
Instead, the coordinator failed to pay, and what followed was a series of unproductive meetings and a police report that has so far yielded no results. Motunrayo described a deep sense of lost hope, explaining that saving towards a goal creates an emotional architecture, a vision of where one's life and business will be at a specific point in time. Having that dismantled overnight, she said, was as painful as the money itself.
The incident has sparked widespread sympathy and warnings from Nigerians who shared their own experiences with ajo schemes on social media.
Nigerians React to the Viral Video
Freemaso recounted a personal loss: "Remember when I first open store for my wife then she join one ajo collected two number after I told her not to join she did behind me na so she lost 400k for provision business she just started then thank God she got to know quickly that she won't get her money back."
Henrie advised caution: "For some reason, i see ajo contribution as payment of debt especially when you have taken your turn. This is why I invest in apps that allows you to save and even earn interest on them."
Motunrayo added: "This is so sad. The organizers are wicked and should be seriously dealt with. If you must do ajo, do with people that you know very well ooo."
Related Incident: Businesswoman Loses N300k in New Scam
In a related development, Legit.ng previously reported that an Ibadan-based businesswoman shared her experience after falling victim to scammers selling fake products. The entrepreneur decided to warn her colleagues, disclosing the huge sum of money she had lost before she knew she had been scammed.
This incident highlights the risks associated with informal savings schemes and the importance of due diligence in financial matters.
