Chapter 5: No Sign, No Surrender

I no sign anything.

I just carry pen, hold am for air, look Zainab for eye, drop am for table. Everybody for room freeze. I no dey move mouth, but my spirit dey talk.

Anybody wey want that kind work fit collect am.

I look at the corner where they put old photocopier; I swear, even the machine dey pity me.

As I no gree, HR raise voice. “According to Article 22 for company management rules, if you refuse reasonable transfer, na voluntary breach of contract be that. Company fit sack you without notice.”

She dey read from small book, like say na lawyer. But her eyes dey shine, e dey pain her say I no gree.

Na rubbish talk be that.

Everybody for Naija office know say, if dem wan push you out, na so so "company policy" dem go dey quote. If dem like you, dem go bend rules, if dem no like you, na hammer.

You wan make technical supervisor dey do sales and dey waka up and down—na reasonable transfer be that?

I look Zainab, look Musa Bello. Even dem know say e no make sense. My guy, Chuka, dey peep from corridor.

I talk, “Director Musa, project need people now. If I comot…”

I dey try appeal to business sense. For Yoruba, dem go say, "Oga, if you cut the root, how leaf go survive?"

Musa Bello cut me short.

He wave hand, like person dey chase fly. "No be your wahala again."

“That one no concern you. Zainab, recruitment don start?”

He turn to HR, dey act like I no dey there.

HR switch to beg-beg mode. “No worry, Director Musa. We don post everywhere. As you talk: only top university master's degree and above, if you go abroad, better.”

She smile small, like say she dey help me, but I know say na just to please oga.

Musa Bello nod, dey happy.

E rub hand together, like person wey just buy fresh suya.

“From now, my team gats be elite bloodline. No let stray cat or dog enter.”

This one loud for room. Everybody hear. E pain me.

I almost insult am.

Na only my mouth hold me. If no be say my mama raise me well, I for talk wetin no suppose.

Musa Bello wave hand.

He no even look my face, just dey brush dust from sleeve.

“E don do. If you no like am, carry your bag comot.”

You know as e be for office: hand no fit beat leg (you no fit fight oga).

I bite my tongue. “No wahala, I dey go.”

I pick my small bag. Even if I no get big voice, at least I get pride.

HR add join, “So na voluntary resignation. No severance. Clear your table today. By 6 p.m., your access go block.”

Her voice flat. Na so HR dey do. If you dey sign appointment, dem dey smile. If you dey go, dem act like say dem no know you before.

My body just dey hot, anger dey my chest, no place to pour am.

For Naija, when wahala hook you, you go just dey sweat anyhow. I feel say if I shout, dem go hear me for street. I pack my things small-small, arrange my framed certificates, even the jollof spoon dem give me for office party last December.

As I reach my desk, my close people dey look me with pity.

I see am for their eyes. Nobody talk, but dem dey talk with look. Some dey shift chair, dey avoid eye contact, like say my own fit catch dem too.

Brother Chuka see as I dey pack, rush come. “Ifeanyi, you really wan take the transfer?”

Chuka na real brother. The guy dey always wear native, smile dey his face, but today e frown. E voice shake small.

I force smile. “No be transfer, na resignation. Today na my last day.”

As I talk am, e pain me. My voice low, but my spirit dey shout.

See wahala.

Who go believe say na here I plan build career? My plans just scatter like person wey drop akara for sand.

I get big dream, ready to shine for new project.

All the brainstorm, all the night call, all the document wey I write for proposal—na so everything just vanish.

But because my background no reach, dem comot me from team.

For Nigeria, if you no get connection, you fit dey run round in circle. Na the story of my life.

Who I go complain to?

Even union no go help for this one. If you complain too much, dem go tag you as wahala man.

Brother Chuka slap table. “Na only Ifeanyi sabi the redundancy system architecture! Wetin this new oga dey reason?”

People for cubicle beside us nod. Chuka dey vex well. I fit see small tear for e eye.

Other people add mouth: “For this kind critical time, if Ifeanyi comot, project go suffer.”

I hear Ngozi talk, "E no go good for company o." Even Emeka for finance join: "E get as e be."

“Timeline tight already. This leader get sense so?”

Even small Chima, wey just finish NYSC, dey ask, "Dem no dey reason long term?"

“Abeg, lower your voice. Make dem no hear.”

People dey look over shoulder. For this place, wall get ear. Even mouse fit carry story go HR.

I just sigh.

I wan talk, but words no come. Na only air dey come out my mouth.

I think am finish, I submit the debugged code version.

I check everything, make sure say bug no go cause wahala for others. I dey feel say, at least, make I go with clean hand.

Even if I dey go, make I finish my own work.

For my side, person wey chop finish, dey wash plate.

But as I press submit—

One yeye pop-up just flash: “Access denied.” My heart cut. Na so dem dey do person for Naija office.

The thing shock me. My hand freeze for mouse. I try log in again, system throw me out.

Na that time, Musa Bello waka come.

E step heavy, shoe dey make kpom-kpom for tile. As e enter, everybody stop work, pretend say dem dey busy.

“Ifeanyi, wetin you dey do?”

E voice loud. Some people drop pen. Chuka look ground, Ngozi squeeze face.

I shock.

I look my screen, look am. I no even know wetin to say.

Before I fit talk, he shout, “Company policy talk say anybody wey dey go no fit touch file or code.”

The volume carry the whole office. IT man for back dey adjust glasses, dey peep.

Everybody for office turn look me.

Na so everybody dey look me, like say I be thief wey dem catch for Balogun market.

E be like say dem dey watch Nollywood for free. My shame full like person wey dem catch dey chop meat for pot.

My face hot. E be like slap.

Na that kind slap wey dey pain for days, even after the redness don go.

Musa Bello dey suspect me say I wan thief code?

This one pain pass all the insult before. Na my own sweat dem dey suspect.

I vex. “I just wan submit bug fix. I no dey modify, I no dey copy.”

My voice crack. Even my hand dey shake. I dey try maintain respect, but anger dey press my chest.

Musa Bello bone. “Who go believe that one? People with your kind education—you fit try anything. For safety of company data and code, you no fit touch this computer again. Pack your load dey go.”

If no be say I need my daily bread, I for show am say sense no dey for certificate.

That talk loud. Na that time I know say, for this company, no be only work matter, na who get power dey write story.