Chapter 6: For Lagos, New Wahala Dey Wait

I vex reach point wey I just calm.

Na that kind quiet vex wey dey enter bone. You just dey reason, "Make thunder fire all their plans." But I hold myself. My mama dey talk say, "No let anger spoil your tomorrow."

No wahala, I no go touch am again.

I carry my bag, greet my real friends, sidon for car, just dey look traffic for Lekki bridge. I dey play old 2Baba for radio, dey reason say last last, e go better.

Last last, na dem go regret, no be me.

My spirit tell me say, "Na today you cry, tomorrow you go smile." For my village, dem dey pray for person wey suffer: "Your enemies go see your glory and hide face."

I no look back, I just waka comot.

I no wave anybody, just enter BRT, join the crowd. Life must go on.

Next day, everywhere for news: Zennex and Ikenna Motors don sign strategic partnership.

Channels TV carry am, even Arise TV do interview. Dem dey hail Zennex, dey call am "Naija Tesla in the making."

Musa Bello dey signing ceremony, dey smile like say e win lottery, dey talk for camera: “We go gather correct people wey get big certificate, build the best team, shock industry with our speed. Make una watch.”

He wear agbada, tie cap, dey wave for camera. Even journalists dey nod head, some dey look am like say e be celebrity.

But funny enough—

For Twitter, people dey drag Zennex. Dem dey dig old video wey Musa Bello talk, "Degree no be everything." Now e dey talk "elite team."

One guy for Twitter talk, “If dem like, make dem use Harvard certificate build car, na Nigerian road go judge am.”

That same day, another tech company, KoraTech, announce say dem dey enter smart car business.

This one scatter everywhere. Blog people dey tweet, "Battle of the tech titans." Even TechCabal write piece: "KoraTech vs. Zennex: Who go win smart car war?"

And dem go build car by themselves.

KoraTech founder, Emeka Lawal, talk am for press conference, everywhere scatter.

Na sharp guy, always wear kaftan, e English dey flow like water. People dey clap, dey chant, "KoraTech, ride on!"

To build car from scratch need big money, e no easy.

For Nigeria, dem dey talk say, "If e easy, everybody go do am." Na real risk KoraTech take.

Even though new energy sector dey boom and all tech big men dey rush enter, nobody don get mind to go all out—till now.

Some say na madness, some say na vision. For Facebook group, people dey argue tire.

As Zennex talk say dem wan build car, KoraTech join body.

Now, na race be this. The kind tension for tech space, e dey like election week.

People begin compare the two.

For WhatsApp group, dem dey drop poll: "Who go deliver first: Zennex or KoraTech?" Na real gbas gbos.

“If you wan do R&D yourself, prepare to burn money. KoraTech start late, no get enough technical skill—how dem wan compete with Zennex?”

One analyst drop thread for Twitter, dey break down numbers, dey calculate who get more engineers.

“Me, I still dey support Zennex-Ikenna. I dey buy Zennex stock.”

One of my old colleagues drop his own screenshot, dey show say he buy shares, dey claim loyalty.

“Support KoraTech. Support Emeka Lawal. I don carry all my money buy KoraTech shares.”

Another person dey shout, "Na people like Emeka we need for Nigeria!"

“You wey dey talk, you just dey fanboy—wait, na you go cry last last.”

Argument dey fly left and right. Na so so back and forth. Even my secondary school group no quiet.

Musa Bello go post for him WhatsApp status: “President Emeka get mind o. You don sabi sell phone finish before you wan try four tyres? You dey okay so?”

He use laughing emoji join. The shade clear. I even see some people reply with fire emoji.

I no know why, but even as everybody dey doubt, my mind dey tell me say KoraTech go make am.

I just dey get hope. You know as e be when you see small light for tunnel.

I happy sotay I no fit sleep.

Na true. I roll for bed till 2am, dey plan my next move. My wife, Amara, ask, "Why you no sleep?" I just smile, tell am, "E go soon better."

I send my CV go KoraTech sharp sharp.

I tweak am well, put all the awards, projects, even small volunteer work wey I do for church. Na serious matter.

With all my experience for Zennex, interview go well, HR say make I wait for their call.

The guy wey interview me, Seyi, smile like old friend. E even ask me, "You sabi Python well?" I nod, show am some code. Na so e jot note, tell me, "We go get back to you."

As I dey wait, one unknown number call me.

I pick, the line sharp. My heart dey beat, I dey expect maybe KoraTech HR. But as I talk "Hello," the voice loud.

The person just shout: “Wetin dey worry you? You comot, but you still leave backdoor behind?”

E be like say thunder strike. The voice dey vibrate, like person wey dey vex well. I grip my phone tight, sense say this na new wahala. For Lagos, as one door close, na window of trouble dey open.