Chapter 2: Palm Grove’s Empty Promises

When HR yarn me say dem dey sack me, e shock me no be small.

My heart nearly jump comot my chest, I no go lie. As HR call me come her small cubicle wey dem paint orange, the air inside dey smell like old AC and paper. Her face no show any sign say e go be good news. My mind begin dey run marathon. For a moment, e be like say my blood cold.

Just last week, the big project wey I dey handle launch well, no wahala.

That time sef, everybody dey hail me for office WhatsApp group. Dem dey pop emoji, even Musa drop "Good job." Even Bose wey no dey ever send me anything, drop fire emoji join. Na that kind day wey you go fit chop puff-puff for canteen with pride.

Oga sef talk say everybody for the project team go collect bonus. He even pat me for shoulder, call me the backbone of the company.

I still remember as he reach my desk that day, all eyes dey on us. The man even smile—smile reach ear. If person snap am that day, fit use am do poster for motivational quote. "Ifeanyi, you be the backbone of this company," he talk am loud. Na so colleagues begin dey hail me, some dey shout, "Odogwu!"

Now, just few days later, this same backbone dem don break am throway.

See how people dey. The same way dem fit praise you like champion today, na so dem fit turn you to scapegoat tomorrow. The world no get loyalty, I swear. Just dey prepare your mind say, today na you, tomorrow e fit be another person.

HR face strong like stone.

Her face tight like say she dey audition for wicked stepmother role for Nollywood. E no even shake. She no blink. Even as I dey look her, I dey reason if she no dey pity person at all. I fit swear say she don practice this thing for mirror before.

"The company go pay you your full entitlement. Abeg, try finish your resignation process today."

As she talk am, she dey flip paper like say na custom officer. Her voice flat—e no even carry small sympathy. I just dey nod, dey look her mouth, but my mind dey wander. Wetin be this life?

She talk am like say dem dey do me better thing.

For her mind, na big favour dem dey do. But me I dey look am, dey think say na like when area boys return your lost phone after dem don thief am. You suppose clap?

I don dey Palm Grove Tech one year sharp. At best, the compensation na two months salary.

Na so dem dey do for Lagos. You fit use all your time, all your energy for company, but when kasala burst, dem go tell you say "policy na policy"—abeg, collect your two months and dey go. Na wa o.

But e no be about the money. Wetin pain me pass be how dem just use me finish, then push me go gutter.

I feel am deep for chest. Na the insult pain me pass, no be even the small money. As I dey waka commot office that day, I dey feel like say breeze dey push me go where I no know. Person go try, give him best, still dem go treat you like dustbin. E pain me, no be lie.