Chapter 2: Family Ties and Bitter Lessons

I don sabi Old Jin for like seven, eight years now. That time I be director for one service project on the vendor side, while he be oga for one medium-size local group.

Back then, Old Jin dey always drop correct greetings when he see me for meeting or conference. "Tunde, you dey run things o!" E go hail like say dem dash am joy. Me sef go just smile, dey parry am. For Naija business, if person dey hail you too much, shine your eye well.

He always dey hail my business sense, try poach me join im company more than once.

For im mind, e dey think say to find person wey get head for business no easy. But me, I dey observe from distance. I sabi say all that shine-shine no be gold.

But I know how im company be—na family business at the core—so I always dey dodge am.

You know how e dey be: all those family business, e get as e dey go. At the end, na blood go get final say. I no wan enter where dem fit use family matter pursue me.

Last year December, Old Jin invite me go chop big food. As we dey drink, he talk say the group don dey slow for years, mainly because im health no too good.

You know all those big men restaurant for Victoria Island—AC dey freeze bone, full fish pepper soup dey smell, nkwobi dey shine for plate. Na there we land, full fish pepper soup, nkwobi, and one small bottle. As drink enter body, im begin open up.

But this year, im say im wan do something big. He don secure new project for another city and beg me make I come run am for am.

I dey remember how family business dey go—today dem hail you, tomorrow dem fit use blood pursue you. My wife even warn me, "Tunde, shine your eye o!" For my mind, I dey reason whether make I risk am.

The way he take beg, e soft. "Tunde, abeg, I no get anybody for mind pass you. This project na my legacy," im talk.

He swear say at least fifty million naira go be my annual salary, plus 10% share for the project company. He even promise say the group go enter stock market within three years.

Omo, see as my head dey calculate. Fifty million per year, plus share—na real awoof. E even yarn am in front of witness, so e sound real.

As senior executive, I go get the same number of stock options as other subsidiary bosses—no need pay anything now, just cash out after IPO.

For my ear, e sound like say money go drop like new yam. Everybody for table dey nod. Na so my spirit begin dey ginger.

That time, I gree. I reason say, one day I go still enter client side, so I say make I try am.

No be everyday dem dey call person for this kind thing. I tell myself, "If you no try, how you wan take sabi?"

After Christmas, I join the group, move go another city, begin run the new project company with full chest.

Na proper relocation o—wife and pikin dey ask, "Daddy, na here we go dey now?" E shock me small, but I use am gather experience.

To be honest, this kind wahala dey sweet me—na proper challenge.

Some people go run from am, but me, I dey see say na my own Olympics.

Na only one finance guy and one assistant follow me, for city wey I no sabi at all, we start from scratch.

First week na pure confusion, but Naija man dey adapt. Me and my two people, we dey hustle for office like say tomorrow no dey.

As I reach, I waka meet all the correct local authorities to build connection, dey drink with partners and government people for almost one week, then personally handle recruitment—interview pass hundred people.

E no easy to build network for strange land o. I dey chop suya with local chairman, dey use small small bribe grease wheel. I even learn two, three local greetings. For recruitment, my voice dey crack—interview reach to make person faint.

Within one month, we settle all the project company approvals.

Na so we dey run upandan—registry today, local government tomorrow. I dey dash recharge card left and right, anything to make things move.

One and half month, all staff don dey in place and company don start.

When I look my new staff, I dey smile inside. We form small family, dey use small joke dey break tension every Monday.

Three months, project begin run.

Na there wahala start o. But as work begin, even cleaners dey try impress—everybody dey hustle. I dey show, dem dey follow.

Seven months, project company cash flow don turn positive.

Na there my confidence double. I call my wife say, "Babe, e be like say better days don near!" Even bank manager dey call me for relationship.

For the group Q4 operations meeting, economy dey rough, every other project dey struggle break even. Na only my new project dey make money—e turn to the group’s most profitable company that year.

As I dey present, I dey notice say all eyes dey my side. The other managers dey tap leg, dey reason how I take do am. Na only my side dey bring jollof rice for boardroom.

After the meeting, Old Jin pat me for shoulder say make I keep it up. Once the project stable, im go give me long holiday for year-end make I spend with family.

Im voice that day calm, e even squeeze my hand like say I be im pikin. "Rest well, my brother. You deserve am." Na so my hope rise like Agege bread.

That time, I still dey innocent, dey thank am for the care, say the project don stable so I fit rest small.

Omo, I no sabi say na setup. I dey even dey praise the man inside me. Na so life be.

As I return project side, I carry my core team go chop big food to celebrate.

We enter that mama put wey dey for corner—order full goat meat, big drinks. My team dey hail me: "Oga Tunde, you try!" I just dey wave hand say, "Na all of us."

I tell them say the group get high hope for us, and I go fight for bigger year-end bonus for everybody—so we go still hustle next year.

I tell dem, "If una think say this year good, next year go beta pass. Make we tighten belt, chop beta!" My people shout, "Yes sir!"

Of course, I get my own reason. Based on Old Jin’s promise, my year-end package suppose reach at least twenty million.

Na that kind money fit make man sleep well. I dey use am plan how I go buy new land for Lekki.

For this kind hard period, na better money be that.

Everybody dey feel the recession. Dollar dey fly, fuel price don double. If person fit grab bonus, e go thank God.

With less than two months to New Year, I don dey plan family trip. Two weeks later, HR call me say make I come HQ handle some things.

I tell my wife, "Babe, I go use am rest small. HQ call, but na small thing." We don dey check Air Peace ticket.

I surprise, but I no think am too much. E even fall for my family leave, so I plan go rest small.

My pikin dey laugh say, "Daddy, buy me gift for Lagos!" Me sef dey happy.

As I reach group, colleagues still greet me well, but their smile no pure, and their eyes dey talk another thing.

I look their face, see say na that kind fake smile. You know when e be like say dem dey pity you but no fit talk? I dey sense am.

HR’s Aunty Sade say make I wait for meeting room. I sit tire before she finally enter with some papers.

The waiting dey drag. For Naija, if dem no tell you wetin dey sup and dem dey delay, shine eye o.

She lock door. I joke, “Why you dey serious like this? You wan scare me?”

I even laugh, try break tension. I dey reason say maybe na small query or company policy.

She no answer, just sit for my front, dey dodge my eye.

Her body language no clear. E be like say she dey fear make ground no open swallow am.

“Mr. Tunde, sorry o. As you sabi, this year economy no good, group dey tight. We need reduce staff, improve efficiency.”

I look her, dey expect make she talk say na prank. But she serious pass exam.

“As senior executive and backbone of the group, you suppose lead by example, so dem put your name for retrenchment. Abeg, help me finish the process.”

Na so she drop am, just dey look table like person wey thief meat from pot. The humility no even reach ground.