Chapter 5: Musa the Star, Ifedike the Scapegoat

Monthly management meeting reach, Musa na the star.

Dem arrange chairs, Musa sit for center like champion. E wear new suit, perfume strong, everybody dey hail am.

Oga dey praise am, dey tell everybody,

E even smile wide, dey tap him table. 'Musa, you sabi work!'

“Make una learn from Musa. In just one month for Purchasing, he don re-screen all suppliers. This year, we go save about five million.”

Oga voice loud, people dey tap table, dey clap as if dem dey welcome governor.

Everybody clap.

Some people clap like dem dey fear, others just dey clap for hand.

Musa begin yarn with pride. Main point: Many managers dey lazy, only dey find their own gain, dey use company head do business.

He clear throat, use am take shine for front of everybody. Even dey speak small English: 'We must eliminate personal interest from company process.'

He throw eye give me.

That one pain me. The look be like say, 'Na you I dey talk to.'

I hear Zainab and Old Bayo dey whisper:

“Five million per year—Old Ifedike don chop plenty for all these years.”

Dem dey do coded gist for back, but e loud for my ear.

Old Bayo signal make dem calm down, since I dey there.

He cough small, cross leg, form say e dey read minutes.

I just pretend say I no hear. I know say even if I explain, e no go change anything.

If I talk, e go look like defence. Na so company life be for Naija—nobody believe person wey fall.

Now, Musa don turn oga favorite. Anything wey concern supplier, na only him dey decide; Sade and other heads no fit talk.

Oga even tell secretary, 'From now, all supplier issue, just ask Musa.' Sade face squeeze, but she hold mouth.

Back when I dey Purchasing, I dey always discuss needs with Product and Tech, mostly follow their recommendation. I know those suppliers dey settle them well, but at least their sources sure.

We dey do joint inspection, dey share gala for site visit. At least, quality dey okay.

Now, Musa just dey ignore everybody.

He dey do one-man show. No more meeting, no more suggestion.

That night, oga happy, carry us go chop for one mama put joint.

We reach, dem arrange plastic chair for outside. Everybody dey chop amala, dey laugh. Na Musa get main seat, dey toast staff with small stout.

Of course, na Musa get spotlight.

Even DJ dey play 'Oga Musa, na you we hail.' Some people dey dance, some dey use toothpick dey look phone.

As everybody don high small, oga lean come my side.

Him breath dey smell alcohol. He nearly spit for my ear.

“Old Ifedike, you try well for all these years.”

I know wetin he mean, my belle just turn. I reply,

I look am straight, voice steady, 'Oga, abeg, if you get mind, talk am. No dey do corner-corner.'

“Oga, if you get something to talk, abeg talk am direct. No need to dey go corner.”

He shift stool, eye dey red.

“Abeg, seven years you dey here. I never add your salary, you never leave. That means say salary no mean anything to you, abi?”

He laugh, like say e talk something wise.

That one pain me.

I swallow spit, hold hand for lap, dey try hold my vex.

“Oga, for seven years, I work hard, I never collect one kobo wey no belong to me.”

I look am well. Even my voice low.

“You wan make I believe that? Musa just come, in one month, he save company five million this year. Where that five million dey go last year?”

He tap my shoulder, give me one wicked smile, then waka.

He even collect two pieces of goat meat from my plate.

I wan talk back, but wetin I wan talk? Anything I talk go just look like say I dey defend myself.

Dem go say, 'Na lie, na because dem catch am.'

Oga only dey see this year five million. Anything I talk, e go look like I dey hide.

For his eye, five million na real savings, na my head dem dey count am.

So, before the party finish, I just waka go house alone. I dodge all the razzmatazz, enter okada home. For street, I dey hear my new nickname echo for my ear—Ifedike Half-a-Hundred-Million. My heart heavy, but I no fit talk.

Make dem enjoy, dey gist about ‘Ifedike Half-a-Hundred-Million’ as dem like.

I no surprise say dem get new nickname for me. Na so office gist dey fly for Naija.

By the way, that nickname—‘Ifedike Half-a-Hundred-Million’—na Musa give me. He tell everybody say I dey collect five or six million chop money every year, so over time I don pocket half a hundred million from company.

Even people for security post don dey whisper am. I hear am once as I dey come in, e pain me.

Since Admin na the company “intelligence center,” by afternoon, Amaka for front desk don gist me already.

Amaka fit run NTA news—her mouth no dey rest. She update me on everything, even who dey owe water bill.