Chapter 9: Lami Stand Strong

I understand their problem.

Everybody dey fight to keep work. Nobody wan risk sacking just to defend person.

Economy hard, good company wey dey pay well, no dey stress people, no too plenty.

For this Nigeria, even big big bank dey sack. If you find stable job, you go hold am tight.

Fast-growing company like Ribo, na rare thing.

If you get luck to enter, you no go wan commot.

Old staff use their youth, health, finally get better pay, status.

Some people wey start with me, now dey send money go village, build house. If dem lose work, na wahala.

If dem sack you, money wahala go choke, your name for industry go spoil.

Once your name enter blacklist, e hard to find new job. Everybody dey fear.

After all, this tech world small—background check go show everything.

One bad report fit block opportunity for Lagos, Abuja, even outside Naija.

The ex-colleague wey dey message me na Lami, one of the few babes for tech department.

Lami sharp, she no dey fear. Among all the tech bros, she dey stand out.

Lami dey type like say keyboard offend am…

If you see her chat, emoji full everywhere. I dey laugh inside.

[Which kind useless innovation? The new system save us manpower!]

She dey defend me with all her chest.

[Before, to deploy dey take full day—now na just one hour!]

Na real fact. Before, e dey tire person to do update.

[Wetin Musa sabi? E dey run mouth about you, Kunle bro!]

She no dey hide her anger.

To upgrade new system cost, but all the money clear, pass all the right level.

Everything wey I do, I dey document for manager. E no fit miss.

When money no dey, I even use my own money.

I borrow from my own pocket sometimes, just to make sure work no stop.

The other two accusations, people wey sabi, sabi.

If you check real work, everybody know who dey deliver.

As Lami dey vex, I reply make she calm down:

I no wan make she go lose job because of me. I value her loyalty.

[No vex—just gist me. No talk too much online, dem fit trace you.]

For this Naija, you gas dey careful with company gist. Dem dey watch everything.

Lami get reason to dislike Musa.

Since she join, Musa dey always find way to embarrass am, but she dey endure.

When she join, people dey shout: “We get babe for here!”

Na only few girls dey survive for tech department. Lami brave.

Lami na fresh graduate—young, like to learn, people dey like her.

She dey eager, always dey carry jotter. If I talk, she dey write.

I tell am make she start with infrastructure, learn the normal process.

I guide am well, show her shortcut, make she no get wahala.

Musa dey come tech department. If e see her, e go dey call her:

Sometimes e go call her "madam engineer." Na fake respect.

“Newcomer? Make we see wetin you fit do.”

E dey set trap for her, make she fail.

E throw new work give her.

I dey always ready to help, but Musa dey use am show off.

I think say e too much for new person.

Lami dey try talk: “First, I go find similar project documentation, check capacity, ask PM for what dem want…”

She dey follow process, but Musa no dey like hear explanation.

Musa cut am:

E no dey let person talk finish.

“If you no know, talk am. No dey form.”

Na so e dey always cut person, make dem look small.

“Girls no dey get tech experience. Ask your people, confirm before you talk.”

As e drop am, room freeze. Even other guys dey look floor.

Lami just freeze, fear catch her, eyes dey run up and down.

E dey shake, I see am. I no fit keep quiet.

I waka come.

I go her side, talk loud so Musa go hear.

“She answer well.”

I talk am like manager, make everybody know say she get sense.

“If you get new requirement, first check old experience, clear needs, analyze data—na the right way.”

I dey face Musa, make am know say I no dey fear am.

I scratch head. “And technical experience no get anything to do with gender. Boys and girls na the same.”

I talk am so everybody hear. After that, Lami respect me more.

Lami happy.

She smile small, eye bright. I see gratitude.

Musa face change, e dey vex.

E just bone, carry face. Pride dey worry am.

I say, “Tech department still dey work on the new requirement. Since Oga Musa talk am, abeg, which progress dey?”

I use am turn table back to Musa. Make e explain e own process.

That time, I think say e sabi something.

Na then I see say na mouth e get. All show, no substance.

Na lie. E just wan show off for babe.

I confirm am from team later, dem talk say Musa no dey even read mail.

Musa dodge, blame PM, talk say no money, finally run go meeting.

E just talk anyhow, then waka commot. Na that day I know say I no fit trust am.

After that, Lami no rate am again.

She focus on her work, dey learn from me. Our bond strong.