WITH LOVE, ANAYA IV

17th June, 2021

Thursday

9 pm

Dear Diary,

At this point, I’m not going to apologise for my irregular entries. It is what is. What has been going on with me? Well, life is interesting. I have not taken over Lagos. Yet. I expected to run Lagos, but it seems like Lagos is trying to run me instead. Where do I start?

First, my office is in a co-working space, which isn’t a problem; small beginnings, right? It’s just that the management is fascinating. There are several line managers, but it seems like they do not have authority, so when the business owner is unavailable, no work is done, and if any work is done in the owner’s absence, it has to be redone because the business owner will be dissatisfied, even if the work was done in a manner that was particular to the details the owner noted he would like to be covered. It is killing staff morale because the staff are not seeing any significant results from all the work they put in.

Then, the office culture is quite toxic. The only people that progress are the people who curry favour from the company founders. The worst part? The company is not earning enough profit as Blessing said it was. It feels like the founders are constantly looking for an excuse to fine staff or not pay salaries, so everyone is walking on eggshells. I am job hunting, so I hope to find something better soon. Thankfully, the fact that there isn’t much work done when the business owner isn’t present gives me time to take on additional data analysis jobs to supplement my savings. 

Again, my accommodation is not very convenient for my 9 to 5. I currently reside with family friends who expect me to take care of the home as part of my contribution. This is not a problem, but it is quite a lot. I wake up at 4 a.m., clean the house, cook breakfast before leaving for work, return, cook dinner, clean up, and repeat. I am not sure how much longer I can keep this up because I am overextending myself, and as a house guest, I don’t have the luxury of mentioning that I am overwhelmed; I simply have to deal with it.   A sustainable solution I am working towards is getting my place. I explained my situation to my eldest sibling, Grace, and asked her to pay a portion of the first year’s rent. She agreed to pay the bulk of the rent for the first year, as well as the apartment’s furnishings, on the condition that I contribute at least 200,000 naira to demonstrate my commitment to actually renting the apartment. I currently have 120,000 naira saved, so I should be able to complete my portion of the contribution in about three months, and hopefully rent my one-bedroom apartment soon. 

One thing I have observed about my new city is that the people’s culture is intriguing. Maybe it’s because I grew up in a different part of Nigeria, but it seems weird that so many people are filled with aggression and willing to transfer it. I have learned to be very careful about taking people at their word and to always expect the other shoe to drop, and it is exhausting. For instance, I own a small Nokia torchlight and a smartphone. The other day, when I stopped to buy plantain chips, this bus driver stole my Nokia Torchlight (I know because he was the only one who could reach into my bag), and I didn’t realise it until I got to the office. What is annoying me is that I also bought plantain chips for him. Can you imagine the audacity?

Aside from these minor issues, I don’t think living in Lagos after the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) year would be so terrible. For starters, I have a lot more freedom, and I know what I want for myself, rather than what my parents or siblings would suggest. I am also a lot more independent. I know how to move around with a few instructions, determination, and the occasional Bolt. If I’m being honest, I like the new Anaya. 

Lagos is a busy place, and maintaining friendships is difficult, so Kam and I have lunch once a month and spend weekends at her apartment as much as possible. I have frequent phone and video conversations with my friends about my adjustment to Lagos. They are concerned for me and laugh with me about how questionable the people’s culture is. Kam and Blessing think I should look for a new job, and Kam sends me any openings she knows about. Kam empathises with my living situation and suggests I move in with her, but I always turn her down.

Speaking of Kam, she is currently serving her National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) year at the Moneywise office in Ikoyi, and she is enjoying it! According to Kam, she is on her way to becoming a permanent staff member, which includes benefits such as a significant salary increase, health insurance, a mobile phone allowance, and paid time off. The only thing holding up the finalisation is that she is still enrolled in the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), so fingers crossed that Kam’s National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) year ends with a retention and promotion letter. 

Blessing is also working with the “Drive” office in Old GRA, Port Harcourt for her NYSC year, and she is making rapid progress at her office. She has received positive feedback from her manager and has been shortlisted for a management trainee program organised by the company to aid high-achieving employees in their transition to management. My girls are doing exceptionally well, and I’m proud of them! 

WITH LOVE, 

Anaya