Chapter 3: The Real Wahala Under the Hood

When dem employ me, na just as the project dey start. That time, AI dey reign everywhere, and Palm Grove Tech wan join the train so dem no go carry last.

Everybody dey do "AI this, AI that." Even market women for Balogun dey talk say dem pikin dey learn AI for school. Palm Grove Tech no wan dull. Dem talk say dem must get their own AI so that investors go respect them.

Lucky for them, I sabi AI model development and deployment. As I enter, na so I dive inside the new R&D project with some people.

I remember that first day. Small team, energy dey everywhere. We dey chop gala and Coke for meeting, dey argue algorithm. Even when light off, we go use our own laptop battery dey code. I fit say we try well.

For small company like this, na one person dey do the work of four or five. I no complain.

Dem go tell you say make you debug, write frontend, arrange server, even help do presentation for oga. You go dey wonder if you dey run relay race alone. But I no too talk; my papa always tell me say, "If you wan chop, you must work."

The suffering and late nights this past year—no need talk.

My eye red tire. Sometimes I go sleep for chair, wake up, go brush teeth with sachet water. You go see me for Zoom call 2am, dey look like person wey dey chase spirit. But I no complain.

But I no see this one coming at all.

Even though my mind dey always reason say Nigerian companies fit shock you, I still no expect am. Na lesson be this. Person fit dey prepare for exam, na another test dem go give you.

First thing dem do after the product go live? Sack me straight.

No thanks, no debrief, just "your service is no longer required." Omo, this life no balance.

The funny thing be say, just last night I still dey do ghost overtime, write document for project shortcomings till past 2 a.m., so that people go fit improve am later.

I dey think say I dey help dem, dey cover ground, dey make life easy for the next person. If I know, I for just chop my sleep. But as Naija dey, good deed dey turn to mumu sometimes.