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Many years ago, a year or so after my NYSC, I traveled to Gwagwalada from Kano to attend a First bank of Nigeria plc interview. I left my crib around 4am and we had left Kano around 5:35am. Smooth journey in a 505 wagon with hand gear with 2 passengers in front.
I arrived Gwagwalada about 11am and I met a sea of heads, I was wondering what was happening. Everyone around chorused the same thing “I came for the interview” I now asked myself where are the organizers? None was insight but over 2000 persons were sprawling the length and
Breath of the government secondary school with no shepherd. Eventually the organizers arrived around 2pm and started selecting people for the test, no communication to the people on the basis for the selection o! The letters we got said an interview but it was a test
But by the time the second set of 40 persons came out of the test hall, it was 7:30pm and I guessed that the organizers had fulfilled their mission:
Test done
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="White heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: White heavy check mark">
Numbers gothttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="White heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: White heavy check mark">
Templates for report completedhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="White heavy check mark" aria-label="Emoji: White heavy check mark">
At this point I told myself, man you need to return to base
Test done
Numbers got
Templates for report completed
At this point I told myself, man you need to return to base
By the time I got to Abuja park it was very late not sure the exact time. However, as I was sitting by the gate of the park, a man I knew very well from Enugu where I grew up; he was always around my dad. Had a good relationship somewhat or so I thought, saw me
And screamed aaah! Kem, what are you doing here. I told him my story and he said not to worry I am going for a meeting somewhere on my way back I will pick you up we go home together. I slept in the park and journeyed back to Kano with the first 505 wagon car
That journey took us almost the whole day because the car’s gear box failed, the brake failed second and we waited endlessly for repairs and I couldn’t enter another vehicle as I had thrown in my last money in the TFare.
So that man never came, you wanted to know why? I don’t know why he never came. Just Incase you do not relate with the post https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="☝️" title="Up pointing index" aria-label="Emoji: Up pointing index"> I do. The man was not the reason I slept in the park that night. BUT he gave me hope and made me expectant and never showed up.
Many years later, he had a huge setback, I met him at the airport on my way from the UK https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇬🇧" title="Flag of United Kingdom" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of United Kingdom"> he was asking for people who wanted taxi, he drove one for someone. I saw him, we saw he screamed and we greeted. I asked why he was doing this work and he told me all the details.
I didn’t give him hope, I told him to pray harder and that God will hear him. I took his number and left. He ran after me - “you didn’t ask why I didn’t come back that night”? I said it doesn’t matter now to me. If I see help that suits you I will help you.
He told me that he told his wife and she said that he shouldn’t come to pick me that she wouldn’t want anyone to sleep in their living room since her sister was sleeping in the only spare room. I told him not to beat himself up but since he has talked about this
That He would have come back to tell me that and probably that would have cleared his mind and he would have been lighter all these years instead of carrying the burden. I already had in mind to call my BROTHER in the hood who owns an outfit in Ibadan and needed
And accountant, he had told me earlier and this man is an accountant. Their life is back on track and the wife keeps thinking they owe me but they don’t.
I understand it when you don’t relate with the story of the man that froze to death especially if you
I understand it when you don’t relate with the story of the man that froze to death especially if you
Are young or if you were handed gold and didn’t have to pass through the furnace yourself. No blames at all for the woman, she wanted a clean home (her prerogative) but the story in the picture resonates with me and makes me feel something DEEP. Thank you for reading https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✌🏼" title="Victory hand (medium light skin tone)" aria-label="Emoji: Victory hand (medium light skin tone)">
