Chapter Two : The meeting

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I played candy crush saga on my phone whilst I waited for the president and his entourage, I dispelled the nervousness that had pooled in the pit of my stomach.

When I thought of all my reports that had gathered shelf space, I knew that I had to be strong and stand my point. I just had to be a strong enough woman especially in front of all those men who think women shouldn't even be in be in government.

I heard silent laughter and turned to look for the source, He walked in tall and proud, he joked and laughed with the vice president, his dimples and white teeth shown so brightly I was so dazed. He was light skinned and had these pretty side burns that defined his face, slightly bushy hair with a well built body. He is Oil and gas magnate, airline owner and many other allied businesses. Billionaire extraordinare, Olaniyi Olanipekun
Dear Lord he looked good! But always remember that most of them who look too good to be true, usually think that they are God's gift to mankind, just you watch he'd be too arrogant for his own good.

It was then that I noticed that I was being talked to by the vice president and I had zoned out. I greeted him first "Yemisi how are you doing?"
I smiled and said "fine, thank you sir " He nodded at me " Hope you're well prepared for today's meeting" I answered in the affirmative.
As we walked into the small conference room the president's personal assistant said that the president was running a bit late due to a meeting with the council of state, I was puzzled as to why the vice president wasn't at the meeting and whilst I was thinking, he answered my unasked question.

"I was in a meeting with Olaniyi here, he's going to be an integral part of this meeting "
My mind whirled endlessly and I thought why is he here, he's an oil and gas magnate, what impact is he going to have on this meeting, I don't need people who have no clue what this is all about to spoil my chances.

The door opened and the president strode in obviously annoyed, oh Lord Jesus please don't let his anger rub off on this presentation.

"Hello, lady and gentlemen, welcome to today's meeting, what's today's agenda". His personal assistant read out the words while I mentally prepared myself for their questions about my presentation "so people what can we do about this deplorable state that the system is in, and where on earth are those from the education ministry?"
He asked angrily, his anger probably from the earlier meeting was raking in and boy oh boy the minister is in trouble. Just after his words the minister and his entourage also walked in.

"You are late and you have the effrontery to walk into this meeting, let this be the last time you would ever come to a meeting which I head, late or else just forget about your job because it's over that day. "He hissed and turned to see those who walked in they were the minister, permanent secretary, his assistant and a few others.

Let the show begin

"why, yemisi, do you think the system be changed?" The permanent secretary asked in a mocking manner, they all just think the same way. CHAUVINIST!!!!!

"With all due respect sir, I have not said that it be changed, I just said during my presentation that our method of implementing is all wrong, the 6-3-3-4 system brought about most of us, it would be a shame to say that it hasn't worked out for us. Just not quite as well as it should have. We should have been reaping maximum potential from it by now, it's been almost 3 decades now. We should do better". This man is testing me, should I remind him that this is his damned job, I hiss loudly in my head.

"So yemisi what do you propose we do, I know you have a good idea." that Olaniyi, annoying Olaniyi asked me with his eyes hooded by his lashes, he looked bored. I glared at him in anger.

" Excuse me people, it's getting heated here and we are definitely going away from the topic at hand."
The president said to calm the atmosphere. It was already tense. After seeing the it was a bit calm, he said " Yemisi please pitch your ideas and Olaniyi you are a stakeholder I just let you sit in because of that reason. Don't forget that " He sighed softly.

"In delivering a better system" I began in a confident voice " We have put in a meeting all the stakeholders involved for any policy to work-" Olaniyi cut in rudely " aren't we stakeholders ourselves why are we here then if we aren't, we are just wasting time ". Olaniyi was rebuked by the vice president who told him he was going to be watching the meeting from his tablet if he failed to restrain himself.

"We have the NUT and the NLC, they are going to disagree on how to deal with teachers. As I said earlier during my presentation, there are two important things we need to do, they are;

1) Agreement from both the NUT and NLC on the re-education of teachers and nysc fresh from the university for them to have a degree in education before they can teach in our public and private schools over the length of four years.

2) Do strict nationwide aptitude

This are important to the growth of our teachers to get better, they have to be better, if teachers are better then the future of our schools and children will look up."
I finished and saw that they were all impressed except of course that oaf ,big stupid oaf, he better not cause trouble for me today, I won't pity him. I'll shred him into pieces.

"Yemisi, can I call you that " he asked with a raised eyebrow, "yes, you can" I nodded.

"why do you think it's easy to work, we are going to be going around in circles if we do that, I mean the same people taught all those whom have run our system to the ground, so what then are you going to change?"

I just knew this man won't let me leave here in peace, I have been getting uncalled shots from those at the education ministry.

" We have a problem with the schools and most teachers and that is, laziness. If everyone there know that they can't be lazy and that they have to work hard, even twice harder, because we are going to be having teachers from countries like China, U.K and a few others, this will ensure that when they are done that is in five years minimum and in seven years maximum, we expect to have those who are going to be dedicated to their work. This is what I think we should plan to do ".

"Why on earth would we need teachers from other places, do you know what that means for our country." He just talked as if he hadn't schooled in the United Kingdom, so disgusting.

"Our method and curriculum is far outdated to the rest of the world's. We are far behind, none of our universities rank in the first five hundred, do we want that to continue?, we need fresh minds to do the job for us. It's a gradual process to get results so we can't ask for visible output when we don't do much". By now the president had a hand on his head as ,he just waved at us and asked Olaniyi and I to see to the press conference after this meeting. I was relieved when we took the needed decisions, the president promised to get in touch with those concerned so that at the next meeting they would all be there.

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When Thursday night rolled in, I was ready to faint from exhaustion and excitement. My phone rang and when I glanced at it I saw Olaniyi's name flashing on the screen, I groaned out loud.

"Hello "

" Yemisi, I'd like to apologise I wont be able to do the press conference with you tomorrow afternoon, a problem cropped up in one of my refineries in South Africa, I'm so sorry. " I was silent, I didn't think he'd bail out on me at the last minute, I sighed loudly .

"Niyi it's fine, I can do it, it's just that the president thought your presence would create some measure of hope and faith in the process, it's.....its fine I'm just not sure anymore would listen to what I'm about to say tomorrow".

"Confidence in yourself is key and very important, I saw a very intelligent woman who had interesting ideas, you can do it if you put your mind and heart to it.

Don't worry I've spoken to him, it's been shifted to next Monday morning as that would enable them prepare for a small ceremony. But you have to give your best. It's going to be tough, and it's also going to be live on all social media, all the former heads of states are going to be there so be prepared for anything and everything." His saying this helped me understand the situation better.

"Thanks for the heads up ".

"No problem at all, it's fine."And with that the call ended, I was shocked stupid because all through the meeting on Monday he had antagonised me at every turn, why is he being nice to me all of a sudden, but sincerely I really needed that talk. I just called my mom immediately to intensify prayers on my behalf because I'm going to need it.

OLANIYI

"Don't worry Mr Olanipekun, everything is fine...... We have resumed production as of this morning " .

"I know, I just wanted to check up on you all and about those in the hospital" That refinery in Pretoria is my baby, my first business, I built it up along side a minor refinery in Kano state. They are my pride and joy apart from my cars.

"........they are going to be fine, I spoke again to the doctor before taking your call". We talked some more before I put off the phone and took a shower did my morning business, got dressed for work.

As I walked down the stairs, I heard sounds of cooking coming from the kitchen, I walked in that direction and as I opened the door I caught whiff of my mom's scent and her food, I grew up loving her food and no matter what anyone cooks for me they still don't get it.

"Ekaro iya niyi, baba niyi " (good morning daddy and mommy niyi) I've called them baba and iya niyi since I've been able to talk because it's what others call them, I find it weird somehow to say Maami, or mummy, or mom, it sounds old and ingenious. I love calling her Iya Niyi and she has come to accept and love it.

"oko mi, Akanni mi (my dear, my precious one) , how was your night, kiloma je oko mi (what are you going to eat) so I can make it for you just give me a minute let me serve your father."

She's like this always loving everything and everyone around her, she's a jewel, she appointed herself father's nutritionist since his stroke which marked the beginning of some very unpleasant things in my life, my wife whom I'd been married to for just over a year left because she thought my father's business was going to crash and I'd have nothing she married that senator and I hear he's vying to remove the current Senate president.

"oko mi, Ki lo tun ro o ma si ni bi mo ( what are you thinking of you have zoned out our voices) " I sigh "ise ni iya niyi (it's work) " Her eyes glaze over and I know quite well that this is the beginning of tears again, in this case tears of regret because she made me marry my ex-wife .that story is for another day.
"I'll just have toast and Earl Grey tea ".
I know she's going to complain about how little I eat and how much I exercise in proportion. "don't worry I have an early lunch meeting with someone around eleven so I need little food right now."

She turned to me with mirth and hope in her eyes, "ehn ehn, is it a girl, who is she tell me "I sigh loudly and rub my face "iya niyi it's definitely not a girl, she's a woman and it's just a business meeting ah" she deflates and I feel bad, I really have to start dating again to get her off my back "OK ooo, just bring anyone I'll accept like that ehn"
i grin "even a boy iya niyi "she reached out to slap my shoulder " I meant she doesn't have to be from a rich family as long as she's decent ."
Her comment reminds me of Yemisi and her eyes flashing with indignation during the meeting at the presidency.

When I step into my private elevator to my office, my personal assistant meets me and tells me of my schedule for the day, drat!!!!. Today is that roadmap thing that Yemisi is going to be doing, I hope she's confident because she sounded like she'd lost all hope when I told her I had to be in South Africa. I'm back now and I can't be in Abuja but I can watch, right?.

"Farhan ,I need you to clear up my schedule from 10am till after my lunch meeting, I also you need to connect live to that roadmap ceremony taking place in Abuja. "

He nods while writing, he's one of my best employees, I met him after one of my entrepreneural meetings in one of Nigeria's foremost universities and he has never disapointed me.

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This chapter is for Nanah_Muhammad. Thank you sisterly for loving this book just as much as u love it. I love you 💏💏💏