Chapter 8: Destiny and Jollof

I wan do small pleasantries, but he no get time: "You dey Abuja too?"

Na so e be. Big man no dey like too much grammar. Straight to the point. I respect am. I reply, "Yes sir, I dey Abuja."

"Tomorrow na Saturday. Make we meet for lunch? Anywhere you like."

He no even ask say, "When you go free?" Na sharp guy. Na so better person dey show confidence.

Call no reach one minute—sharp guy.

I drop phone, dey reason. Na so big men dey operate. E fit call you, e fit no call you again. But this one sure. I go prepare.

Yunusa still dey give me update.

"Omo, new boy dey try read your doc. From him face, e like say him wan cry. E dey turn neck like agama lizard."

"Boss post for group say, since AI detection go live, user activity don go up, and he dey hail Old Musa. You suppose see am—him face wrinkle like agbalumo wey dey ripe."

Na so I laugh scatter. The agbalumo analogy sweet me. I nearly drop phone. I dey imagine Musa dey try form boss, but e mind dey shake. Na so office gossip dey sweet.

I imagine Musa face, I nearly spit my water—Yunusa metaphor correct die.

I nearly forward the message to my cousin, but I hold myself. No be every gist you dey share.

Next day, I meet Dr. Kamsiyochukwu for restaurant.

As I dey reach, I dey nervous small. I dress clean—shirt iron, shoe shine. I check time, reach five minutes early. Na so I see am—young, but eye sharp. E smile, wave hand. We start to gist.

Maybe na programmer thing, but we just click.

From first "How far?" we dey talk code, AI, even jollof rice. We order jollof rice and grilled fish—no need for oyibo food, abeg. I no need form. I just dey myself. E dey ask me about data, how I balance work and family. I dey open up.

Medivision Technologies na startup wey Dr. Kamsiyochukwu start just last year, focus on AI for healthcare. Dem don collect two rounds of investment.

E explain how e take start—one small room, few friends, now dem get office for Maitama. I dey impressed.

"...By the time dem diagnose Alzheimer’s, neuron don die finish, e no dey reversible. But if we catch am early, drug and intervention fit help patient improve brain work, delay disease by 10–15 years. Our goal na to help people see am early."

As he dey yarn, I dey nod. My mind dey turn, dey imagine my own people wey don suffer memory loss. I dey see the passion for his eye—no be just to make money, na to change lives.

AI dey hot everywhere, and wetin Kamsiyochukwu wan do no be new—me sef dey play with am. But wetin catch me na the shine for him eye as he dey talk am.

He no dey brag, just dey explain. I dey see say e mean am. I dey feel say, if I join, na bigger thing I fit build. Not just salary—impact.

Restaurant dey noisy—people dey talk salary, house, marriage, pikin. But the guy for my front dey talk how to change healthcare, like say e no dey this world.

Even as people dey argue for table behind us about wedding budget, this one dey talk brain science. I dey look around, dey feel say my life fit change from here.

But I feel am, no lie.

The thing dey enter my body. I dey nod, dey imagine the possibilities. Na here, my hope rise small.