Chapter 1: The Promise and the Betrayal

Oga use heavy money chase me come, beg make I help am start new project.

You know how Lagos people dey yarn, the way e sound, e be like say na my destiny dem wan reset—big money talk everywhere. The promise sweet my belle that time, I no go lie.

The project made sense. Just when I was already dreaming about a fat year-end bonus, na so he put my name for retrenchment list. My hand begin cold, my mind dey race—no warning, no sign. Na so life fit change for Lagos.

Imagine say you dey gist your wife about holiday for Obudu, dey plan as you go buy new car, na that time dem carry your name commot. You don dey price new aso ebi for Christmas, dey dream jollof, na sack letter land. Omo, e pain!

HR talk say dem dey cut staff to make the company run better, and that the top people wan lead by example.

Dem yarn am with that calm corporate voice wey dey always do as if dem dey pity you, but you go see say e no touch dem for body at all. If to say na inside compound for Mushin, dem for even call family meeting before remove person.

But she still talk say the company no go cheat me. According to labour law, dem go pay me N+1—your last salary plus one extra month.

You know all those their grammar—dem go dey explain like say dem dey do you favour. But for where!

Abeg, which kind compensation be that? E no even reach one-tenth of the year-end bonus wey I suppose collect.

Even danfo conductor for Ojuelegba no go gree if you try run am like this. See ehn, that compensation na pure wash.

So after I don build bridge for am, na to burn am remain so that im family go waka pass? Na so?

See as dem play am for Naija movie. As you do all the heavy lifting, na another person go just land collect am for nothing.

When the project get wahala, the boss even call me himself, beg me make I come back.

No be small thing o. Person wey dey behave like lion before, go humble like goat when e see say e no fit handle the fire wey dey ground.

Sorry, I don already become regional director for your rival company.

Baba, na so life be. Dem say when one door close, another one go open—me sef don find my level.