NAOMI

The weeks went by and work has been going on super smoothly. This week, I have a trip to Ogun state. We have a potential partner we intend to snag and the facility happens to be there.

Vincent, my assistant, has mailed my to-do list to me this morning. Meeting with AfDB reps for the empowerment program we have. We have this as our CSR. Dad ensures we do it and now that I am at the helm of affairs, he made me promise to carry on the legacy. Nathan is an artist. He owns his studio and is making great money from it. It was a struggle between him and mum. Dad had no problem with him chasing his passion, but mom, she wanted her son to chase his career as an engineer. She is an engineer also, she went in fully regarding practicing her profession, so imagine her shock when the apple of her eyes decided to leave her dry and hanging.

Now that he is "the Nathan Onaifo" for his art, her pride has returned. She organizes paint and sip with her friends, in a bid to flaunt her son.

"After AfDB, what next?"

"Someone filed a case against us. She saw something weird in the drinks she got her kids."

"And why am I just knowing about this?" I ask, very surprised.

"It happened this morning." He responds.

"But that is not all, ma."

"Do I have to say go ahead for you to speak?" I hiss.

"Chief Anifowoshe pulled out of the partnership." Chief was top secret. He is the Ogun trip I was supposed to make this week.

"Get out of my office!" What the hell? Why am I unfortunate to work with bunch of incompetent mess ups? Was dad merely allowing them work all these years due to his empathetic nature or what? I understand that we have other business ventures handled by my older brothers; Gillian and Thompson, but this one which is so dear to me, cannot be the one that ends up being a disaster. In fact, none of them should.

Mail begin

To: Head, Quality Assurance & Control
Head, Legal Advisory

I need an explanation as to why the issue regarding the company being sued had to be brought to my hearing, unsorted.

Also, QA&C, your assessment of that product batch should be submitted to me before COB today.

Mail ends

This issue better not be a severe one, else, heads will roll and someone will go down for it.

On the other hand, why did Chief Anifowoshe pull out? That is another issue I need to handle.

"Get me a call appointment with Chief." I state over the intercom to Vincent.

"Yes, ma'am." The line ends and a few minutes after, Chief's call is forwarded to me. Another huddle to deal with. Clearing my throat, I pick the call and put on my sweetest of voices.

"Hello, Chief. Good morning." Do not mistake him for an old man. Chief is merely in his mid thirties. Just like me, he is old money. Also, he got his Chieftancy title very recently.

"Naomi, good morning." I roll my eyes and chuckle.

"Chief, has my company wronged you in any form? What I am hearing is not wonderful at all."

"Let us discuss in camera, Naomi." I roll my eyes. All these people that money cannot refine.

"Chief, what's the issue?" I try to cajole him but he is unyielding.

"If you want to know what it is, come to the mainland." But the mainland is far. Why is this man behaving like this?

"Hmmm."

"You don't want to?" He asks.

"I will, please send me the address you want me to meet you at."

"My secretary will forward it to you, Naomi."

"Thank you, Chief." The moment the call ends, I sigh. This unplanned problem I am about to encounter today, God!

"Reschedule all my meetings for today. Let me know once you get the address for the meet up with Chief."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And send a mail to the Heads of QA&C and legal, copy myself and the Head of HR. If by the end of today, this issue is not sorted, HR should find a suitable replacement for the both of them."

——————

I don't understand why this man, with all the money he has, still chooses to live in this sort of environment. This is not even funny. First of all, the meeting yielded no result. Chief wants me to scratch his back before he can scratch mine. For a partnership that will benefit the both of us, he must be high on whatever local drugs are produced here. I am not surprised, though. That gender can be very stupid sometimes.

It is raining and my car has stopped. What sort of problem is this? And with the way the weather is, there is little to nothing that I can do.

"Aunty fine girl, wetin happen?" The area boy puffs his smoke in my face when I wind down my car window. Risky, I know. I use my hand to wade off the smoke before responding.

"The car is not starting."

"This your car fine oh. E really handle." What is this one saying?

"Thank you." I say, regardless.

"Open your bonnet."

"Excuse me."

"Aunty, calm down. I dey try help you." It's already getting dark, being alone in this sort of environment is creepy.

"Okay." I get down from the car after opening the bonnet. Taking extra caution, I remove the key and securely lock all doors. He looks at me, very amused.

"You think say I wan tiff something from you, Aunty fine girl?" How did he catch on that so fast?

"No, that's not it."

"Anyway, na because you fine oh, and this your car set." He proceeds to touch some things in the car's bonnet. I have never really understood this whole deal with cars. Apart from radiator where one puts water, I leave every car-related problems to my brothers and my parents drivers. I don't have a driver, though, I prefer it this way, even though driving can be sometimes annoying.

"This problem don pass me, but I fit beg my guys make dem help you push am go corner. Na Bros Joe go fit sort this problem. Make I call am. But Aunty fine girl, you go sort my boys oh. You go give us something oh."

"That's not a problem." I just want this whole shit done with. This environment is already making me weary. He goes to the side to make a phone call and then speaks to the other three guys that have been watching our convo.

An unfortunate bike man passes by me and splashes water on my trousers. Dirty brown water! I just can't deal anymore! I desperately need to leave this environment.

"He dey come."

"Thank you." After they push the car to the edge of the road, I take a bundle of 200 Naira notes and hand it over to him.

They even offer to buy me coke but I turn down their offer. They are so excited. For God's sake, it is just 20k!

"Aunty, anytime you come this area, if anybody wan stress you, just tell them say na "bazon" person you be."

"Bazon?" This one is actually funny.

"Yes. Bazon. Base on believe." Oh, base-on.

"Base-on?"

"Yes. God bless you oh, Aunty fine girl. You no go sit down? Clean seat for our Aunty, powder!" What sort of funny nicknames are these? The one with a side mark that runs from his nose to his cheek immediately takes off his shirt, no doubt to clean the seat for me.

"Don't worry."

"Aunty, you sure?" He asks.

"Yes, thanks. I'll just sit in the car." Few minutes later, I see a bike approach us, a familiar face is the person riding it. I quickly duck, praying he passes and does not somehow see my face. The sound of the bike soon fades away and I sigh in relief. Imagine my surprise when I raise my head to see him approaching my car with the guy from earlier.

"Aunty fine girl. Bros Joe don come." He cluelessly introduces the both of us before walking away.

"Well well, look who fate pushed in my direction." He states with a smirk. I want to wipe that smirk off his face so bad!

A.N: This book jig abi e no jig?