The assistant

During Folabi’s 18-month training he met a British Woman Lily and got engaged to her. After the training, his firm transferred him to the New York office. He got married just before he was due to leave the UK and Lily was to move to New York with him. I knew it was time to find my own path. I decided to move back to Nigeria. I was 25 at the time. I resigned from my job as a junior copy writer in an advertising agency and promised TK I’d stay with Aunty Titi and be on my best behaviour.

Three months after I moved back, I still hadn’t found a befitting job. I was getting really frustrated, my savings were almost fully depleted and I was tired of staying with Aunty Titi and her husband especially since all her children had now moved out. Banke came home for Christmas and I was really glad to go and spend the holidays with her family. During my stay in her house, I spoke to Brother Ope about my state of unemployment he asked me to send him my CV and promised to help.

Two weeks after Christmas I got an interview invite from Octave Asset Management. I called Brother Ope and he said he had given his friend who was the CEO my CV.

The first two levels of the interview went very smoothly and I was very optimistic. I was being interviewed for the role of Executive Assistant to the CEO and they were particularly interested in my communication background and copy writing skills because of the correspondences I would have to handle on his behalf. The salary was very attractive and I was very desperate to get the job.

On the morning of the final interview with the CEO himself I woke up with butterflies in my belly. I had hardly slept. I carefully selected my outfit I wore a silk blue shirt, a grey pencil skirt and blue pumps. I had spent the last of my savings getting my hair and nails done. I figured it would be a wise investment if I got the job.

I left Aunty Titi’s house in Ogudu early enough to make it to the VI office on time as my interview was to hold at 10.00am. The taxi I took broke down on third mainland bridge and I lost precious time while the driver struggled to fix the car. We eventually got back on the road but I got to the Octave office an hour late, flustered and tired. I was told the CEO had gone into another meeting since I had missed my appointment and I was to wait for him. I waited till pm, I was hungry and tired but I waited. Eventually his secretary came and ushered me into an intimidating huge and well decorated office. When I saw the man behind the desk I was in total shock! I couldn’t believe my eyes.