Chapter 3: No Be So Life Dey

Confidentiality, confidentiality.

I shake head inside. Na so company go dey use big English hide injustice. If you talk, dem go say policy, but when dem wan oppress you, dem go forget say you be human being too.

Na so old staff like me no go know say dem dey cheat us?

I reason am. If dem no leak payslip, person go dey there dey do mumu, dey thank boss for five thousand raise like say na gold. Omo, na so dem dey do us. E pain me well.

Vex catch me, I no gree: “I join when the company just start. I don work tire for years. Last last, my salary no even reach fresh graduate wey just join.”

I no even look face. My voice dey rise. E no concern me if e dey uncomfortable. Today na today. If wahala wan burst, make e burst.

“And even if we no talk seniority or title, my output and achievements pass her own, no be so?”

I remind boss say na me dey carry team. My viral videos dey save company when content dry. Everybody sabi am, except Oga wey dey form forget.

Just last month, I write five viral short video scripts.

I fit show am for phone sef. Everybody for TikTok dey comment, dey hail. But dem no use am do anything.

Halima Musa no produce anything.

If to say she try, I for no talk. But na me dey save her work every week. Na only her fashion fine for office.

Wetin make she worth pass me?

If dem dey use result measure, abeg, who deserve pass?

Boss voice come soft small. “Morayo, I sabi all your hard work and wetin you don do for the company, but company get e own wahala. To hire people for market now dey cost. To bring in top university graduate like Halima Musa, na that kind money. You be old staff, you suppose understand company pass anybody.”

He con dey use soft voice, like say na me he dey beg. But my heart still dey pain me. Top university, top university—wetin she don contribute since she enter?

I no understand o.

If to say na street, I for say make I reason am well. But for this office, abeg, how person go dey earn pass her mentor?

If labour cost don go up, why you no raise loyal staff pay?

If dem say market hard, why dem no look after person wey suffer with dem? Abi my own don finish?

I no deserve am?

I dey try reason with boss, but my heart dey shout.

“But e no make sense at all.”

I talk am with pain. E no just add up.

“Nothing dey unreasonable there. Company need new blood to move forward, na so market dey. No be only Radiance, na everywhere be like this.”

He dey quote market logic for me, but I no see sense inside. Na all these their big big English dem dey use confuse person.

I no hide my mind: “Boss, I dey request for raise.”

My voice steady, no fear. Today, I no go gree play mumu.

No be just raise—I want make my pay pass newcomer own.

Inside my heart, I dey pray make boss see reason.

But boss no even reason am. “Think well. No be company dey give you raise every year? Morayo, abeg, you suppose manage. No be so life dey?”

He look me like pikin wey dey greedy. Content? Abeg, who content dey help for Lagos?

Yes, he dey give me raise—five thousand naira every year.

That one na raise? Five thousand, when bag of rice don reach fifty. Na who I offend?

Six years of raise, still newcomer don pass me. Old staff no reach dog.

I dey reason am. If dog dey company, dem for dey feed am more.

I remember beginning of the year, boss tell me company dey struggle, say na only me go get raise.

I dey happy that day, dey tell people say boss get me for mind. I no know say na just talk.

I believe am, even dey thank am.

I even buy gala and coke to celebrate. See as I dey happy that time, no know say e just dey play me.

But see as he give fresh graduate big pay behind my back…

E pain me, e pain me. I fit cry if say na home I dey.

The thing pain me, even shame join.

Shame dey my chest. I dey reason whether na me get problem, or na company wahala.

I take deep breath. As I wan talk, my hand touch my ID card for neck. I look am, remember my first day—how I waka enter this office dey shine, dey hope for better. That memory just hold me for one second, like say my old self dey beg me to stay. But the pain no gree me. “If na so, I no fit continue here.”

I talk am with calm voice, but inside, my leg dey shake. E no easy to talk this kain thing, but I no fit take am again.

If na seventy thousand I dey collect, dey train newcomer wey dey collect one hundred and fifty thousand, make I just get heart attack.

Na true, my health don dey spoil. E better make I find my peace than make I die for here.

Boss face show say e no sweet am. “I go pretend say I no hear that one. Go back. I hope say you calm down, think am well. If na only money dey your mind, you no go last for this Lagos.”

He try play wisdom, but I know say na pride dey worry am. All these boss dem, dem no like make person challenge dem.