Chapter 2: Eyes Don Open

Even though HR quick withdraw the message, I still see am.

As the message land, I save the screenshot sharp sharp before HR rush delete am. My mind dey quick, you gats dey smart for this kind office. I even save backup for my Gmail, in case dem wan act funny later. Na so my eye open for how things really be here.

Halima Musa, last month's actual pay: ₦150,116.

My head just scatter that moment.

I dey try balance for my chair, but my body just dey shake. The kain thing fit make person get high BP. I nearly spill my Lipton tea, but I just bone, hold myself. If I talk, now dem go say I dey overreact.

As the company’s most senior staff, my monthly take-home, even with full attendance, no dey pass seventy thousand.

E dey pain me say after all these years, na so my account dey dry every month. The money no reach anything. I fit talk am proudly before, but now, I dey shame.

But newcomer wey just land three months ago, wey no sabi anything, still dey need my help—she dey collect eighty thousand more than me.

E shock me reach bone. Even Jide, our cleaner, dey earn more respect than me for office now. Na me dey run up and down, yet na me dey see pepper.

Full eighty thousand.

I count the money again for my mind. Eighty thousand naira. I think of all the things wey I fit use am do—buy better shoes, pay one month rent for self-contain, even help my mama send small change for house. Yet, I dey here dey train person wey dey chop pass me.

Where justice dey for this life?

I just sigh. E be like say justice na story for book, no be for Naija work.

Six years ago, when I enter Radiance Media, the company no even get plenty people.

I remember the early days. Radiance Media na just one small room, everybody dey squeeze for one corner. Dem never even buy fridge that time, not to talk of generator. We dey manage, dey hustle like pikin wey dey hawk pure water for Oshodi.

The office dey for one rough block for the back of Palm Grove Estate.

I fit still remember that old yellow paint for wall, the way rain dey leak from ceiling. Sometimes, mosquito go chop us for meeting. Na real struggle. We dey share one fan for three people. Omo, those days no be here.

I do everything: copywriting, operations, shooting, editing—sometimes sef, I go appear for camera.

If dem say 'Jack of all trades', na me dem dey talk about. I go write script, run camera, edit video, even act like guest. Dem no dey appreciate am, but I sabi say na me dey keep things moving.

Plenty nights, I go dey rack my brain dey write script, dey try make the content fresh and interesting. To get better footage, I go waka round the whole city. Just to edit one video wey no even reach one minute, I fit sit down for computer for seven, eight hours straight.

My neighbours for house think say na Yahoo I dey do, because dem no dey see me sleep. But na pure hustle, and I dey take am as my own.

Hard work suppose pay.

My people for home always talk say hard work no dey waste. I believe am, I dey wait my turn.

After some videos go viral, we grab opportunity and Radiance blow for the short video world.

E sweet me that time when people dey hail us. Na me dem dey tag for comment, na me dem dey call 'creative lead'. I feel say my time don come.

Now, we get over ten million followers for TikTok Naija.

Na big achievement. I dey proud, but e pain me say the money no dey match the followers. Ten million followers, yet na my bank account dey cry every month.

The company don grow well well.

As we blow, everybody begin dey respect us. People wey no send us before, now dey form friend. We dey do things wey even big companies dey copy.

Office don shift enter one correct high-rise for Ikoyi.

If person see our new office, dem go think say we be Dangote pikin. Na glass everywhere, big generator, even receptionist dey greet you with smile. But salary? E still dry.

All the old colleagues wey start with me don dey leave small small.

Dem no fit endure. I still dey try, dey tell myself say things go better. But as people dey disappear, na only my name dey remain for group chat.

Na only me remain.

I dey laugh sometimes—dem fit call me ancestor for this company now.

I believe say my place for the company, if e no be say I no fit replace, at least na pillar I be.

If dem remove me, na wall go fall. I dey see myself as person wey dey hold company together. I dey help new staff settle, dey keep old clients.

But today, reality don slap me for face.

E shock me say na so my value small reach. Na slap wey my papa never give me for life.

With my mind dey turn, I look Halima Musa wey dey opposite me.

She dey sip chilled zobo from one big plastic bottle from the mallam downstairs, dey press her keyboard, sometimes go purse her lips dey giggle.

E be like say na Instagram she dey, because work no dey her face. Zobo dey for one big bottle, her nails paint red like tomato for market.

Clear say na chatting online she dey do, dey slack.

I dey see the chat notification dey pop for her system. No be work matter at all. I just dey look am like person wey dey watch Nigerian film.

Meanwhile, I drop my own work mountain to help her fix her copy wey full of mistakes.

Sometimes, I go drop my own wahala just to solve her small grammar, rewrite headline, make am look like better content.

The more I think am, the more vex dey catch me.

Na inside me the thing dey boil. I dey feel like make I shout, but I just dey hold myself.

The more I reason, the more e pain me.

No matter how I twist am for my mind, the thing still dey pain me for bone.

Suddenly, I stand up, swallow my anger, waka straight to boss office.

I no even think am twice. I just stand up, dust my trouser, walk go boss office. If dem like, make dem say I dey stubborn, but today, I must talk my mind.

“Boss, abeg, why Halima Musa, newcomer, dey collect more than double my salary as supervisor?”

I close door gently, try package myself, but my voice still shake small. Boss Femi Lawal just dey look me. I see surprise flash for him eye.

Boss Femi Lawal first shock, then frown.

The way boss frown ehn, if na pikin, dem go say you don spoil Christmas rice for am. Na so he drop pen, cross leg, eye me for face.

“Morayo, our company get salary confidentiality policy. How you go dey ask about another person pay like that?”

Him voice cold, but na defense. I see say he dey try dodge the matter. Na so all these Oga dem dey do, once matter serious, dem go throw policy for your face.