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When the email arrived, David read it three times before he believed it.
"Congratulations ! We're pleased to offer you the position "
His heart raced, It was the opportunity he had prayed for during two years of unemployment. The salary was nearly three times what he has been earning, and the company was one of the biggest in the country.
His mother danced around the small sitting room when she heard the news.
"God has finally remembered us," She said with tears in her eyes.
David smiled, but something about the interview kept bothering him.
Towards the end of the interview, one of the directors had leaned forward with a smile.
"We're like family here," he said
"Sometimes royalty means doing things that don't appear in your job description. We expect everyone to protect the company's interest....no matter what."
At that time, David had laughed politely.
Now those words echoed in his mind.
Still he convinced himself that every workplace had strange ways of speaking.
He accepted the offer.
The first month was everything he had imagined. A beautiful office, friendly colleagues , expensive lunches.
His family's financial problems slowly disappeared. For the first time in years, his younger sister returned from school with new books instead of borrowed ones.
Then came one Friday afternoon.
His manager placed a file on his desk.
"I need you to adjust these figures before Monday" he said.
David looked through the documents.
" They're not correct sir" he said.
"I know" the manager answered
"But the report will be false"
His manager shrugged.
Our investors don't need every detail, they only need confidence."
David pushed the file back gently.
"I can't do that "
The smile disappeared from the manager's face.
"Think carefully about it, everyone here has done it" he left
That evening, David couldn't sleep.
He remembered his father who had once refused a bribe while working as a civil servant. The decision cost his father promotion and comfort.
As a child David had asked whether honesty was worth being poor.
His father would smile and say " One day you will discover that peace of mind is richer than money."
At that time he thought it sounded like what poor people always say to comfort themselves.
Now the words returned.
The manager asked for the corrected report. David placed placed the untouched file on the table .
"I'm sorry" he said.
The manager folded his arms.
"So you're refusing?
David nodded, " I appreciate the opportunity you gave me, thanks but no thanks "
The room became silent.
Within fifteen minutes the security escorted him out of the building.
As he walked towards the gate carrying a small cardboard box filled with his belongings, other employees murmured .
One whispered, "he won't survive in this country like that."
For weeks David questioned himself about his decision.
Bills returned. His mother's smile faded into worried silence .
Friends called him foolish.
"You just threw away a great opportunity, people do worse everyday."
"Nobody is a saint " Ibe told him.
He began to wonder if they were right.
Three months after, a fraud headline spread across every news platform.
The company had been investigated for financial fraud. Several executives were arrested, investors lost millions.
David stared at the television without saying a word.
His phone rang, it was one of his former colleagues.
"You're very lucky" David looked through the window before replying.
"No, I wasn't lucky. I was scared...so I chose the fear I could live with." he replied.
Weeks later a new company invited him for an interview.
"Why did you leave your first job?" The owner threw the question to him.
David told him the truth.
"We've already heard the story. We called for references." The owner leaned back in his chair.
"Skills can be taught, but integrity is much harder to find." he added.
