Chapter 1: Demotion Na Promotion?

The new director just dey look down on my education. On his first day sef, he tell me make I comot. No warning, no reason—just, “Oya, Ifeanyi, pack your things.”

I remember the way him eye sweep the room that morning, like person wey dey count chicken for market. Na so e just look me from head to toe, no respect at all. Even the way he sidon, one leg cross the other, dey bounce small-small, show say e no rate me at all. I bin dey reason say maybe na just new boss gra-gra, but the way he talk, e clear say e no send me.

Before I waka go, I wan fix one bug, na im he accuse me say I dey thief code.

My throat dry, sweat dey my back. For my mind, I dey pray make ground open. You suppose see as my hand dey shake small when he raise voice, point finger like say na thief he catch for market. Other people for office just dey look ground, nobody wan talk. As I dey try explain say na just small bug I dey squash before I leave, na im he talk say na excuse, say people like me sabi how to cover track.

“A graduate from one second-rate university—how that one go sabi anything?”

That one pain me for bone. For where my people from, dem go say, "No be the school go teach you sense, na sense you take enter school." Even the cleaners for office look up that time, the insult loud.

Before you know, everywhere for system burst, loopholes everywhere. The smart car project wey dem don dey do for years nearly scatter finish.

E shock everybody. The system wey we don dey protect like baby just dey pour like gutter wey burst for rainy season. People dey run left and right, dey call IT support, even admin sef dey sweat. The pressure heavy; you fit feel am like when NEPA take light for exam hall.

Director begin run up and down, dey find me make I come help solve the wahala.

I just dey see notification for my phone, missed calls, WhatsApp, email. Even the team lead, Chuka, dey send message: "Abeg, Ifeanyi, just show small, help us. Dem don block everywhere."

But by that time, the new energy car wey my new company develop don get over 100,000 pre-orders just for launch day.

Na so dem dey pop champagne for new office, people dey hail, "Ifeanyi, you try!" The kind joy wey full my chest, I fit dance Shaku Shaku there. Even the MD, madam Kemi, shake my hand twice.

Me, I dey busy dey follow my new oga go deliver the first batch of cars.

We dey drive convoy go Federal Palace Hotel, media people dey wait. Na true welcome, dem even snap us with the cars, some big men from NNPC and government side dey ground. My heart sweet, I dey reason say this na real progress.

I no even get time to look the director face.

Person wey dey suffer go dey find who to blame. Me, I don move, I no even remember wetin Musa Bello face look like. My people go say, "When pounded yam dey sweet, who dey remember old garri?"