The Surveyor's Beep: My Wake-Up Call

“Did you get a land surveyor to check the land?” 

That was the unexpected question an elderly man in my estate asked me about 15 years ago, just weeks after I had joyfully purchased a plot of land in Lagos. At the time, I brushed it off confidently:

 “No need the deed has been signed, I have the survey drawings, and my lawyer has signed off.”  In my mind, everything was in order.

But he smiled knowingly and gave me the contact of a land surveyor. Out of courtesy, I followed up. When we arrived at the site, the surveyor pulled out his device. Moments later, it beeped loudly and flashed red. He looked at me and calmly said: 

“This land is not free of government acquisition.”

For context, in Lagos State, when a land is not free from government acquisition, it means the government has reserved or earmarked it for public use such as roads, schools, hospitals, housing projects, or other infrastructural development. Any individual who buys such land risks losing both the land and their investment, because the government can reclaim it at any time without compensation.

My excitement turned to shock. After several rounds of negotiations, the sellers offered me another plot that was genuinely free but only after I paid extra. It later became clear that they had known the truth from the very beginning.

That experience taught me a priceless lesson: never assume, especially in unfamiliar territory. 

Even when documents look legitimate and trusted professionals have signed off, there is always room to dig deeper. Seek expert knowledge, do your own research, and don’t let eagerness cloud your judgment. 

Because if a deal feels too good, chances are, it isn’t.

And here’s the bigger lesson: don’t take things or people at face value. Just like Ronal Reagan said, “Trust, but verify.”

The sellers knew that land was encumbered, yet they were comfortable selling it, likely to multiple unsuspecting buyers who would one day suffer the consequences. 

The world is full of such traps, and sometimes the smiling face across the table is simply masking a bitter truth.