Chapter 2: Sufferhead Claims

I spent months dey travel for company project wey worth millions. Just as we dey finish the project, na im my travel expenses turn big wahala.

Even from road, I dey worry how I go survive till dem pay me. The project na serious matter—contractors, client meetings, site inspection. Sometimes I sleep inside bus, or na only gala and lacasera hold me for road.

I try catch accounts when I come back office small, but dem bounce me immediately.

No even hello. "Reimbursements dey only happen for last week of every month."

But problem be say, every end of month, I dey attend project summary meetings with client. How I go dey company?

You know as e be—once you dey field, dem no wan hear excuse. Client go dey shout, "Manager Dayo, abeg come approve work!"

So, I go rush come start of last week submit claims, then run go project site again. As expected, my hotel and food money always pass company standard.

I dey plan my escape like thief. Early morning, I go join danfo reach office, rush type my claim, before conductor start shout "Last bus!"

Accounts madam just dey bone face, repeat the same thing: as long as oga sign am, she go process reimbursement.

Her face hard like stone, just point to oga office like say na ritual I suppose do.

So I carry my claim form go meet oga, try explain.

My voice low at first, "Oga, e no possible to see hotel for Abuja wey dey ₦7,000 per night."

"You don try? Abi na mouth you dey use talk?"

Him eyes dey sharp, like say I wan run package.

"Even Peace Lodge dey collect ₦20,000 per night for Abuja. I find one small guesthouse for ₦12,000—na the cheapest I see. If you no believe, check online."

My phone dey hand, ready to show pictures, but oga just wave me off.

Oga hiss, pull out him phone, tap tap, find one youth hostel—₦3,000 per night.

He show me the site, "See am. Make I help you book one?"

The hostel na one kind. You go fear even to bath for their bathroom. Wetin man go do?

"Oga, na hostel be that. Eight people dey for one room."

I wan laugh, but my throat dry. "If NEPA take light, everybody go sweat together."

"So? If other people fit stay there, why you no fit?"

Him voice sharp, like principal dey warn latecomer.

"I dey work overtime. If eight people dey inside, how I go do my work? Wetin if person thief my laptop or company property?"

I dey try reason am. If person carry my bag, who go answer police?

Maybe he reason small, but him quick check again, find Peace Lodge for Gwagwalada and Bwari—still Abuja, but ₦7,000 per night.

He tap map for phone, "Oga, those ones dey outskirts. I go need enter keke and bus to reach client."

He stare map for some time. "No wahala, public transport dey. Just wake up early, problem solve."

Like say dem dey dash time for market. I just swallow my vex.

"And the ₦1,500 for food no reach. For Abuja, one plate rice and chicken almost ₦2,000."

The way I talk am, you go think say I dey beg loan.

"Baba, make I tell you. If you no dey travel, you no go still chop? Why you dey feel say company suppose pay you because you dey travel? You go chop anyhow. The ₦1,500 wey I give you na dash—e fit buy mama put, abi?"

So, according to oga, na to dey chop boiled yam and stew every day, or trek go find mama put for rain.

I no fit talk again. To make am worse, company dey force us use those old rickety buses—business travel na: rickety bus, youth hostel, and mama put takeaway.

The bus sef, e get one sound like goat dey cough, and you go dey pray make tyre no burst for express.

Anybody wey wan do this kind trip, make dem go.

As I dey look oga shameless face, I know say my money no go show. No wahala. As accounts talk, with ₦7,000 for hotel and ₦1,500 for food, I still fit get over ₦650,000 back. Make I just collect am first—I no even get money chop again.

My pride don swallow frog; I just wan survive.

But even when I gree to lose, accounts still no gree give me shishi.