Chapter 4: Policy Wall and Last Hope

"Wetin be the problem this time?"

My patience don finish, my voice dey tremble.

"Oga rule: monthly reimbursement limit na ₦100,000. You go split am for nine months. Go redo the forms."

She no even show pity. Her hand dey wave me off, other hand dey scroll her phone.

I try hold vex, deep breath.

"Aunty Rose, abeg, just tell me all the wahala once."

I dey hope say she go list everything, make I no dey come here every week like debtor.

"Notice dey for wall, paper don brown like old suya wrapper. If you no read am, wetin you want make I do?"

I look up—true true, notice dey there. But who dey enter accounts office just to read wall?

I see faded poster, lines wey only old mama for church fit read unless you go near.

I wan burst. My voice loud small.

"This reimbursement na money wey I use for company. No be bonus or salary. I spend almost ₦800,000—why I go collect am back for nine months? You go pay me interest?"

Some other staff dey peep from their desk, dey watch like African Magic. But nobody talk, everybody dey fear.

She just repeat, "Na oga rule. If he sign, I go reimburse you anytime."

Her voice cold like freezer wey NEPA never touch for two weeks.

Oga again.

I see say argument no go work, I waka go meet oga again.

As I enter, he dey busy with laptop, no even look my side.

"Oga, accounts say new rule—reimbursement cap na ₦100,000 per month?"

"Yes. Na the rule."

"I dey travel every month, no time to come claim. I don gather over half year own, even company rate na over ₦650,000."

He no look up. "Then split am, dey claim small small every month."

His fingers dey tap table, impatient.

"But I dey travel every month, each trip na almost ₦100,000. With this policy, I no go ever collect my full ₦650,000! Na my money I use for company!"

Finally, he look up slow. "Dayo, without rules, everywhere go scatter. Big company need system. If you no claim on time, na your fault. Besides, I don already talk say I go do exception this once. Why you dey disturb me again?"

His voice dey like person wey dey lecture JSS1 for assembly.

"Oga, every month I must dey client side for project meeting at end of month. I no fit come back. How I go claim?"

He look me, sigh, "See, Dayo, you too dey talk say something no possible. You don try? Abi na mouth you dey use talk?"

I wan shout, but my body weak.

"Client say I must attend meeting. I no fit come back."

"You fit fill the forms, send am by dispatch."

He talk am like say dispatch dey fly for air. Na wa o! Who go know say company go dey bring all these yeye new rules?

And I don send before, but accountant say my receipt no dey staple horizontal, so e just dey office for months. But if I talk now, he go just say, "Why you no fit staple am well?"

Excuse no dey ever finish. I fit swear say even if I use super glue, dem go still find wahala.

I waka comot from oga office, vexing. No choice, I try collect ₦100,000 reimbursement first. I still need pay ATM card, chop. All my salary don finish for travel—na suffer I dey.

For corridor, I meet Samson from Admin. He see my face, just shake head. "My guy, na so dem dey do. You get luck sef, me na three months dem owe me."

Finally, on the fourth try, accounts accept my claim. Aunty Rose, still bone face, say, "Manager Dayo, this reimbursement form finally correct. E mean say you sabi follow rules now?"

The way she talk am, e be like she dey laugh for inside. If no be say I dey broke, I for slap her. I just hold myself, ask:

"Thank you, Aunty Rose. When dem go pay the reimbursement?"

She no even look my face. "If e fast, you go get am with next month salary."

But na already end of month. Next month salary go land mid next month, so I go wait almost two months before I see my money. I shock. I dey count on this reimbursement to chop. Last month salary I use pay ATM card—now I broke finish.

My mouth open, words no come out. Hunger dey show for my face.

"Aunty Rose, abeg, e get any way to get am quick? I no get money again."

She just dey arrange files, like say I no matter. "Manager Dayo, na the process be that. We must verify receipt, do accounting. E no fit fast pass like that."

Process, process, process. All these steps just dey make life hard for people like us.

As I dey there, my phone dey vibrate—bank alert, na deduction again. I fit cry.

I try beg. "Aunty Rose, abeg, fit advance me this month salary? I no even get money chop."

As expected, same answer: "If oga sign, I fit do am."

She no even blink. Na record she dey play?

"Aunty Rose, abeg, see am from my side. I don dey pay from my pocket for work over half a year. My salary and savings don finish for travel."

She just dey repeat, poker face:

"If oga sign, I fit advance am immediately."

I begin wonder if Aunty Rose be robot. Every time, na the same: as long as oga sign, she go do am.

No choice, I waka go meet oga again.

My shoe don almost cut, but na still me dey beg.

This time, he no even argue. "Dayo, you suppose understand say advance salary get cost. If I keep money for bank, e go bring interest. Since you dey broke and need advance to chop, I no go let you starve. But even for family, account must clear. You go pay the interest loss. I go approve ₦100,000 for you, with 5% interest. So you go collect ₦95,000—the ₦5,000 na interest."

His face serious, like pastor dey pray for offering.

So this oga sabi capital cost, but no think to pay me extra for all the months he hold my reimbursement?

Today, I don see finish. From start to finish, dem just use me play. Na me dey pay to work. As I dey think say I go soon broke reach to chop, I swallow my pride, say, "Thank you, oga."

I bow small, pack my file, heart heavy.

"No need thank me. Just work hard and repay company with your action."

His words na like salt for wound. Repay? No wahala. Wait, I go pay you double, just dey watch.

I no fit sleep that night, my mind dey turn like NEPA meter. For this Naija, who really dey work for who?