Chapter 6: Resignation Rain

That time wey I just start to dey with Halima again, one question dey my mind:

E dey bother me for night, I dey twist for bed. Why I go leave Ifeanyi, after all the years, after all her care?

Since I love Halima like this, why I go marry Ifeanyi that year?

I dey find answer, dey think back. My mind dey run old memory.

Na because Halima marry another person?

I dey reason say maybe na because my heart break, I just wan patch life. But my spirit dey fight am.

My mind dey tell me no be just that.

Something deeper dey there, something wey I no fit talk.

But that time, I no fit find answer.

I dey brush the thought comot, dey focus on present.

But now, as I stand for HR office, the answer just show.

Rain dey threaten outside, sky grey like old cement, as Musa hand me the file.

Na so life be. As you dey waka, answer fit show for you like flash.

Because, as I dey reason how I go tell HR make them sack Ifeanyi, HR Musa tell me say Ifeanyi don hand over her work since yesterday afternoon, drop resignation letter join. Na just my signature remain, then she go commot finally.

Musa talk am like bad news. My heart skip. I carry the file, dey look am. Ifeanyi no even wait make I talk.

That moment, I realise say the reason why I marry Ifeanyi na because she always sabi wetin dey my mind.

She dey quick understand me. No need talk much, she dey do things before I open mouth. For Naija, woman wey dey read your mind dey rare.

For work and for house, she dey always help me remove my wahala without stress.

She dey run things, no dey complain. Even Amarachi matter, she dey handle am. Na backbone she be.

But this time, her way of helping just be like say she no too reason am well.

I dey expect make she fight small, drag matter, but she just quietly waka. E pain me small, but na her way.

If she wait small, make I sack her myself, for the sake of our marriage and Amarachi, I for even give her extra settlement. (Extra settlement: one month salary plus extra for each year of work.)

Na Naija custom be that. Even if marriage spoil, small settlement dey show say you no get bad heart. But she no gree wait.

I shake my head, smile small, sign "Agreed" for her resignation, put the form for pocket.

My hand dey shake small as I sign. For my mind, I dey reason if I do the right thing. But I just bone, tell myself say na life.

Tonight I go show Halima the form, so she go rest finally.

If I no show her, she go dey worry. Woman matter deep, jealousy dey scatter house.

HR Musa just look worried.

Musa dey scratch head, dey bend face. E be like say wahala don land.

"Oga Uche, who go take over Ifeanyi work now?"

He dey look me with fear. I fit see say e dey panic. Ifeanyi work no be small.

I think am, no see anybody wey fit do am, so I talk, "Put job ad, look for person outside."

I cross leg, dey tap table. I no want make Musa see say e dey worry me. I dey form strong.

Musa come talk, "If na outside we dey find, person wey sabi government project and get experience, with Ifeanyi salary of thirty thousand, we no fit get anybody. This kind person now na at least two million a year for market..."

He dey shake mouth, dey raise paper. The money shock me. Two million for ordinary work?

"Ehn? Why so much?"

I frown, look Musa well.

My eye dey sharp, I dey watch am. Maybe na play him dey play, wan run me street.

I dey suspect say e dey try play me.

For Naija, staff fit arrange something for back, chop small change. My eye dey open.

Maybe na recruitment kickback him dey find.

Or maybe he dey try support Ifeanyi. Office politics na big wahala.

Maybe e dey support Ifeanyi.

Anyhow, the money wey he talk no possible.

Abeg, my company no be oil company.

We dey struggle, no be Dangote level. Na small, small we dey manage.

Where two million go come from?

Make person no dey carry me play. I no fit spend that kind money.

"Musa, the highest I go give na five hundred thousand a year. If you no fit find person, no bother come work again."

I talk am with bold face. I no send anybody. Let him know say na me dey run things here.

As I talk am finish, I just waka commot.

No time to dey argue. Staff suppose dey fear oga small.

Since I don dey run company for years, I sabi say na so management suppose be.

Na the way of Naija business. If you soft, staff go ride you. If you hard, work go move.

For staff front, no dey do like say una be mate.

E get why dem call you oga. You must show say na you dey run am.

Staff na staff, boss na boss, e get level.

For Naija, respect seniority. Everybody know their place.

Any work, just assign am.

To finish am na their duty, if dem no fit, sack dem, find another person.

No time for slow people. Na result dey matter.

Person wey need money go always find way do the work, no matter how hard.

Hunger na better teacher. Everybody dey hustle for Naija. If one go, another go enter.