Chapter 2: HR Wahala and Office Politics

We regret to inform you that, due to a company-wide personnel adjustment, your employment will be terminated.

As I dey read that message, e be like say breeze blow enter my ear. I no fit talk—my chest dey tight. The HR woman even dey speak grammar, but inside her eye, I fit see say she just dey follow order. The AC dey blow cold, but sweat still dey my back. Outside, danfo horn dey faintly enter window. If na Naija mama, she go give small pity, but this one just dey official.

Your access card don deactivate. Abeg, carry your personal things waka go.

Na so dem take reduce my life for that moment—carry your things, waka out. No handshake, no thank you. Na so we dey see am for Lagos.

I just stand there, shock.

Everybody for HR dey look me, some dey pity me, some dey pretend say dem no see anything. My leg dey weak. I just dey wonder if na dream or reality. E be like say NEPA take light for my mind.

I think say HR call me for normal meeting. I no expect say na sack letter dey wait for me.

As I dey waka go HR office that morning, I still dey reason say na one of those compliance meetings. I no even carry biro. Na so dem corner me with letter, sharp sharp.

Three years ago, this company na just small startup, less than twenty people.

That time, everybody sabi everybody, no need form. Na pure hustle. Small office, everybody dey manage space, dey share gala and Coke for lunch. Na family vibe.

I grab the chance for virtual interaction technology, use my hand build the main framework for our project.

I fit remember as I dey explain idea give my team, with marker dey draw on whiteboard. Dem dey look me like say I dey talk jazz, but I just push till dem gree try am.

I work tire, do night upon night of overtime, develop our first product—Ribo. E dey use glasses or car window as platform, make people fit connect with their environment anyhow.

I remember as I dey code for night, mosquito dey bite me for office, but I dey focus. Sometimes, na noodles be my dinner. My head dey hot, but I no gree sleep.

No more heavy VR wahala—people fit dey feel like say dem dey inside sci-fi film.

Even my mama for village, when I show her demo, she talk say, “Na juju be this?” I just laugh, explain say na science, but the thing sweet me.

As Ribo land market, everywhere scatter.

We dey get call from every angle—journalist, agents, even government people. People dey toast us for tech event like say we be Dangote.

Agents and developers dey rush come meet us for partnership.

If you see queue for reception that time, you go think say na embassy. Everybody dey find how to chop from the new thing.

Ribo ecosystem just rise like building.

Just like Lagos highrise wey dey spring up overnight, our office begin full. New faces every week, HR no rest.

Company jump from twenty to five thousand workers sharp sharp.

I remember as office dey burst with people—canteen no dey even contain us again. Recruitment just dey go as if dem dey dash work.

Ribo dey move. We dey rush updates, I dey haunt tech forums, dey upgrade Ribo system to the latest, strong architecture.

My life na back-to-back code. I dey chase bug for night, dey push patch before morning. My friends for outside no see me again.

No be beans—few people really sabi the core technology.

Sometimes, dem go call meeting, I go dey look other engineers face. Only like two or three of us fit answer deep question.

I pour my whole self inside the work, no get time for anything again.

I forget birthday, even my babe break up say I too dey work. My people for house dey complain say I don lost inside computer.