Chapter 6: The Last Gift

So before we start the new project, I talk am many times say make we re-do the framework.

For every planning meeting, I go raise hand, dey explain why new framework better pass. Some people go nod, but Musa go always shut me down.

Musa no gree.

He go cross leg, dey look me like say I dey talk French. "E no go work. No time. No money." Na so he dey talk am.

He say e go slow us down, say e no make sense at all.

The man just dey push for fast result. Na "deploy now, ask question later." He no get patience for anything wey go slow his shine. Even when I try show am sample, he just wave hand.

"No be all these AI models dey everywhere now? Just use am! Re-write framework ke? Na only you fit reason that one. The company dey pay you better salary, no be to dey bring this kind idea."

See as he dey yarn am, like say I dey find way to dodge work. Na so oga dey behave for Naija offices—if you talk true, dem go say you dey form big boy.

I no fit win, so I just swallow my pride do am their way.

E pain me, but I reason say make I do, collect my salary, dey go. No be every fight you dey win, sometimes na to bide your time.

As the new project start, old framework no fit carry the new requirements, and problem begin show face anyhow.

Just two weeks after, system begin misbehave. I dey fix bug wey I no cause. Even customers begin call support, dey shout. Na so everybody begin dey look me like magician.

Because I get conscience for the project (and company), me and Musa dey always clash. Sometimes we go argue hot for meeting.

I no fit keep quiet when I see wrong thing. Musa no dey like am. He go always raise voice. Sometimes, even HR go dey listen for corridor.

Anytime he vex, he go shout, "No dey give me excuse! Framework conflict, incompatibility—if wahala dey, check yourself first!"

If to say dem dey dash award for shouting, Musa go win every week. After every meeting, my head go dey pain me. But I still dey try explain, because I want make product better.

Looking back now, I know say this man don tire for my stubbornness for like six months now.

E no easy to work with person wey no want hear word. Maybe na my stubbornness dey pain am. Sometimes, I reason say, if I just dey smile dey follow, maybe e no go hate me like this.

But he no understand say, even though the product dey online, hidden problem full everywhere.

Product dey work for eye, but under the hood, wahala dey. Na so Naija dey—fine face, but problem full belle. Na only person wey build am sabi where the skeleton dey hide.

Na only me, the so-called wahala person, really sabi how many trap dey for the new project—and na only me sabi how to dodge am.

Sometimes I go reason, "If I die today, who go fit maintain this thing?" Even Musa self no go fit. Na me get all the map. Na why I dey sleep with one eye open.

Musa tell me, "Arrange anything you need to hand over, just give me before you go today."

He no even look me eye, just drop the order and waka go. Na so oga dey behave when dem don get wetin dem want. No time for talk.

Then he disappear enter him office.

As he enter, he slam door small. For my mind I dey imagine am dey dance inside, dey happy say trouble maker don commot.

All my work logs, dev notes, deployment docs, I don submit since, and I never start any new task. Nothing dey to hand over again.

My desktop clear pass new church. I don even leave password for next person. If dem call me for handover, na story. E mean say, dem no value my work reach that level.

Na why dem fit sack me anyhow, no fear.

If to say I dey handle one critical task, dem for beg me stay. But as everything don finish, e easy for dem. E pain me, but I just dey look.

Some of my team members send me WhatsApp message—just normal sorry and all that.

You know as Naija people dey—everybody dey send "Sorry bros, I hear wetin happen, no vex." I appreciate am, but my mind dey far.

Yunusa, our tester, born after 2000, na he I dey relate with pass.

Yunusa na correct boy. Young, sharp, always dey ask question. He dey call me "egbon" sometimes, dey yarn me about music, TikTok, all those things. I go miss am small.

He vex well.

"I see Old Musa dey whisper with HR two days ago, but I no know say na you. Na you do pass for the project. How company fit do this kind thing? Dem dey craze?"

Yunusa na person wey no dey hide him mind. As he dey type, you go feel the anger. I like the way he dey defend me, e show say my effort no waste.

I reply, "Na craze dey worry dem."

Sometimes, the only thing wey go make you laugh na when you use their madness yarn joke. I no too take am serious again, make e no pain me pass this.

Dem just reason say, since project finish, I no get use again. At worst, dem go hire person wey cheap make e dey maintain am.

For Naija company, na the norm. Once dem chop your skill finish, dem go look for younger, cheaper replacement. You go dey wonder if na so dem dey treat people for all country.

I write one summary doc, send am to Musa.

I take time, arrange all the small notes wey fit help next person, even though I know say dem no go appreciate am. But na my conscience, I no wan make wahala worse for person wey no know road.

I pause before I press send—my finger dey shake small. Na my last gift be this, even if dem no appreciate.

"Manager Musa, anything else you need?"

I add small respect for the message, no wan cause drama.

Musa reply sharp sharp: "No, e don do."

No thanks, no emoji, just "e don do." Na so old men dey do when dem no wan show any weakness. If to say I dey expect gratitude, na now my eye for clear.

Old man no even look the thing.

I see the mail read receipt, but e no even bother reply anything extra. E mean say, na formality all along.

As I go collect his signature, he dey form emotional, like say he dey lose fellow soldier, but the smile for his face be like person wey win jackpot.

His handshake strong, but his eye dey shine—na so person dey show fake sadness. E be like market woman wey dey cry for burial but still dey count money wey dem spray.

"Ifeanyi, make I give you advice before you go: no dey feel say you be superstar because you sabi tech. For company, people wey sabi work full everywhere. If you no change your attitude, you no go last anywhere."

Na that kind advice wey dey sound like curse. I just dey look am, dey wonder if e ever talk this kind thing to any of his children.

I fire back, "You dey correct, I no be company backbone—at best, na sphincter I be. As you talk sphincter, abeg try dey do pelvic floor exercise, before you go begin leak anyhow."

I no fit hold am again, the thing just fly comot my mouth. Even the cleaner for corner nearly choke on her laughter. For this life, sometimes na only sarcasm fit heal your wound.

Musa reason say na just vex I dey vex, he just hiss, put that face wey old people dey do when pikin dey misbehave.

Na so e be. Old men dey always behave like say young person dey disrespect, but dem no go see their own fault. He hiss, face another side, dey write something for his jotter.

I no talk again, just waka go.

My mind dey clear small. As I carry my bag, I reason say, "Na so e dey be. Time to face front."