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It is another beautiful day, and a diligent father, former husband, worker and upstanding citizen is currently walking down the pavement of the major city road leading to his office's secretariat building fairly briskly, to make sure that he gets there right on time to sign in for work early, as usual, get his affairs in order from the previous day and intricately prepare the books, vet the list of appointments and ensure all clerical facilities are prepared and organized for a seamless work day ahead. As the morning breeze simmers, he moves with his favourite leather briefcase in hand, a 1980s classic grey suit jacket fitted to his pristine white sleeved shirt underneath, and gracing the top of his head, a grey black fedora hat. The straight shoulders of this man, his forward leaning posture and slightly bowed arm movement pattern are giving him an almost swaggering terminal gait which seems to be partially outdone by the decorous and humble composure in each stride. He is the man of every working hour, a paragon of daily effectiveness, a steward of bureaucratic efficiency and a sage of structural and organizational artistry. He is also around middle age, and goes by the name Ehigie Gerald Ojo.

He works as a personal secretary to one of the senior administrative officers within the office of the deputy commissioner of works and housing. Being one of the exceptional staff who has come to be known for dispensing their duties to the letter and ensuring that all central and peripheral functions within their jurisdiction are carried out effectively, Mr. Ehigie has earned a great deal of organizational acclaim and trust within his workplace both from fellow staff and some of the higher-ups. He has also been nominated for 'employee of the month' a number of times, and thus far, has retained his employment in this commission as well as some others for a near total of fourteen years. His passion and zest unlike that of many others have remained just about as fresh as the first day he began his professional career. Being a passionate husband and father as well, he has also been one of those men who right after work would make haste to return to their families and on their way home, buy little gifts for their wife and kids. Never has it been seen or heard that Ehigie Ojo would end up in a beer parlour, a nightclub or an evening lounge after work. He has rarely ever indulged in the numerous daily social hangout sprees with male work friends somewhere innocent or in places scandalous despite having a good number of them attempting to convince him. Never has it also been seen or heard that Shola's father would be found associating intimately with ladies of the night or of the day, at a location harmless or locations questionable.

Arriving through the pedestrian gate, he waves and hails the gatekeeper, "CSO! I greet o! Good morning."

"Ah.. My chief, Ojo!! Well done sir!" the man responds joyfully.

"How's the family?" Mr. Ehigie asks.

"They're doing fine!" he responds.

Mr. Ehigie nods, "That's great."

Moving onward, past the general staff parking lot, he runs into two of his long-time work friends, Arnold Osagie who is also popularly known as 'Curator' and Mrs. Efe who currently works as a clerk within one of the departments of the secretariat. She is currently seven months pregnant with her fifth child and 'miracle baby' as she likes to call it, because despite already being in her early fifties, she found out one day unexpectedly that she was once again pregnant, her previous pregnancy being over thirteen years ago.

From the driver's end of the car, she closes the door and Mr. Osagie comes out of the passenger's end. They live in the same neighborhood and usually, on her way to work everyday, she picks him up from the front of his house.  Jamming the door of the 2000s station wagon a second time to ensure that it's properly locked, she turns to the walkway with a stack of large enveloped files in one hand and a big brown snake print leather handbag in the other, filled to its near maximum capacity, with a median zip that appears partially deformed and half-way open.

"Curator!!" Mr. Ehigie calls out effusively with a cheeky smile.

"Ojo himself!" Mr. Osagie screams in response.

They shake hands.

"You are kpoofing. The money is settling." Ehigie says.

"Which money!.." Arnold retorts humorously. ".. I get money na'i I still dey dis country. Na my wife dey do me well o. She dey give me beta food chop." In continuation, he whispers, "..I no dey quarrel wit am again. Anytime her body start to hot, I go just dey pet am, spin her head small, even sometimes, give am massage. Then she go just cool down. And everything continues. You know the saying, 'Happy wife, happy life!' "

Both men burst into laughter.

"Abeg greet am for me o." Ehigie responds, widening his eyebrows in concurrence at his friend's pun ridden demeanour.

"Oga Ojo!.." Mrs. Efe greets, "..Good morning."

"Mrs. Efe.. Bonboy!.. " he smiles warmly, ".. Good morning. How the family? "

"We dey fine o." she responds, with a heavy breath.

"Ah ah.. On top this one wey you dey, na'i you still dey carry all this heavy load? " Mr. Ehigie collects the large stack of files from her arm, to help her carry them.

"Na so I see am o. Dem dey do yearly audit, and na me dem place in charge of the supporting committee." she responds.

"Okay.. doh" he responds, as they all begin to walk towards the secretariat building.

Taking another breath as she strides forward, Mrs. Efe says, "You don hear wetin dey happen since yesterday? "

"What's going on?" Mr. Ehigie asks.

"They've been letting people go. From different levels, even though the directive to the ministry was to reassess the status of only non-essential contract staff and workers performing functions in supplementary capacities.  The reshuffling cycle is really hitting people hard. Even some that have been working here for years. It's so sad."

"Wow. That's truly unfortunate. But this is not how things are done nau. What is going on with this administration?"

"I don't know o.." Mrs. Efe echoes.

"Wetin be dat?" Mr. Osagie inquires, as he hears the two of them speaking.

Mr. Ehigie responds, "Na the reshuffling wey start this month o. She sey dem don dey lay people off."

"Ahhh.." Curator responds, "..E no good?? Me wey don tire for this job."

"Na so!.." Mr. Ehigie echoes sarcastically.

Raising his eyebrows further and broadening his tone, he continues, "You no believe me?? Heii.. this one na work?? If dem call my name like this ehn, I go go collect that letter, sharp sharp! Cash my severance! Make I travel go village, go establish my farm well. Then marry one fine girl wey go dey service me!"

With a shocked smile, Mr. Ehigie asks cheekily, "Ah ah! You go con leave madam with us? "

"That one go gree comot for Benin? That one go gree leave business?? Abeg ee.. once I go village, I go know sey na there me and am for see reach. Nothing dey this life o."

In slight annoyance and chide, Mrs. Efe echoes at him dramatically, "Curator, you just dey talk! What of your pikin?? What of your last pikin wey dey here?? You go go leave am??"

"No be secondary school she wan finish so?? As she enter uniben, I go dey send am money. E mama go still dey give am chop. Before you know it, four years e don finish. Dem dey tey before dem marry??"

Mrs. Efe takes another breath and says, in a bid not to push the near comical conversation further, "Anyway.. I know sey na mouth you dey."

Mr. Osagie smiles and stares into the horizon almost humorously, "Hehe.. Just dey play."

Mr. Ehigie smiles and places an arm on his shoulder, "Curator!.. You want to destabilize my young friend's life. You want Stephanie to begin to cry that her father has run away to the village?.. That girl needs you o. Please don't go."

Readjusting the bag on her shoulder blade, Mrs. Efe adds, "Leave am.. make ee dey yarn."

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As the power comes back on this Thursday evening after about forty eight hours, many children across the neighborhood scream for joy and others in concurrence simply shout synchronously, "Up NEPA!". NEPA stands for the National Electric Power Authority, historically in charge of providing power across the nation. Within the Ojo household, the bright yellow globe light bulb at the centre of the room comes alive and with it, the loud television. Someone forgot to turn it off after the previous power outage. "Who left this TV on??" Shola screams in shock. It is a good thing perhaps that despite the tardy stroke of time, their father is yet to arrive home, as he would've borne witness to this television fiasco and equally screamed at the top of his lungs in anger. It is one of his sacred rules, that every appliance must be turned off whenever there is a power outage.  "Switch off the TV!" he wails each time, so as not to give room for his children to forget. Shortly after, Eki walks in with a steaming pot of yam porridge decorated with boiled tomato sprinkles and spicy sizzling mackerel.

"Make una dey off this TV nau." Shola says.

"Na Peter be dey watch am dat day before de take light." she responds, before gently placing the pot against the floor. Then she asks, "Daddy neva come back?"

"No.. I'm even surprised. He usually has gotten home by this time." Shola replies.

Thereafter, Peter waltzes in, "Yo! My people! How're you doing?" Sitting forcefully on the mattress and spreading his legs, he continues, "Where the food at? Where the food at?"

"The one wey you cook, abi the one wey your money dey?" Shola responds jocularly.

"The one I'm going to be paying for very soon. Haha.." Then he smiles additionally, "Don't worry bro.. I'm going to be making money very soon. Good money. I'm already getting all my contacts in place."

Eki laughs and says with a partial side eye, "I hope you don't mean yahu?? Like all those other friends you hang out with??"

"Ahh.. no nau. Eki, you know I'm not that kind of guy." Peter replies.

"Ee be like sey I go call daddy o." Shola interjects, noticing that their father is yet to arrive home.

With a shocked expression on his face, Peter proclaims, "He dey outside nau."

"Really?" Shola asks.

"Yes, I saw him talking with Mr. Imuetinyan opposite the other house there. They've been there for almost an hour."

"Ohh.." Shola widens his eyes. Then looking down to his phone, his eyes broaden even more. He just received an email informing him that he is the first place of the 'Speak Nigeria Essay Competition' which he had taken part in earlier this month, as per Janet's recommendation. Shola has just won an award of ₦300,000 cash, which is currently around £320 or about $400. "Jesus!!" he exclaims.

"Baba! Babaaa!.." Shola begins to yell and breathe heavily.

"Shola!"
"What's going on??" Peter and Eki begin to ask, as they approach him in deep concern. Right now, Shola is acting very weird, in a way that is almost becoming frightening, as though he is experiencing a fit of some nature. He tries to speak but appears to need a few moments to catch his breath.

From the email, he seems to have also won an additional sum of £50 for participating in the raffle draw segment of the competition organized by one of the sponsors, in which a specified number of lucky participants were promised to be selected from the population of those who paid the optional raffle fee of ₦1,000.

"I won.." Shola says, with a short breath and eyes reddened to their darkest tint, laden with tears that refused to flow. "I won the essay competition.. three hundred thousand. I can't believe.. I actually won."

"Bro!!!.. Congratulations!!!.." Peter screams in boisterous joy, holding his brother by the shoulder and giving him a warm hug, despite Shola's crouched position and inability to raise his own arm in response, except to wipe a defiant tear.

"Shola!.. The Great!.." Eki says with fervent passion. She places a hand on his shoulder and nods while looking into his eyes, ".. I believed in you. Always and always."

"Hey!! Shola is a money man!.. My top G!! Stand up nau.. don't cry." Peter continues, while trying to lift his brother up from the bed, who currently is still in awe and sobbing helplessly into the sheets. "My bro!.." Peter rubs his back, "..Clean your face. It's alright. You are a winner. Let's go and tell dad."

Shola manages to lift himself up and says, "I'm coming. I need to wash my face." Afterwards, he heads to the backyard of the house and fetches some water to wash his face. Peter on the other hand, runs outside in excitement to break the news to his father, who had already ended his conversation with Mr. Imuetinyan and was walking through the side of the house toward the backyard. Upon hearing this, he becomes full of emotion and short of words, and heads to the dark sandy backyard to find his son. Elated Peter paces behind, as they cross the yard door and find a recovering Shola wiping his face dry with a towel.

"Shola!" Mr. Ehigie echoes, and both he and his son freeze in this moment of time. Nothing is said, but a lot is communicated. Even hovering Peter stops in his tracks, letting out soft observant breaths but moving very little muscle.

"Congratulations." Mr. Ehigie breaks the ice and moves forward.

Shola lowers the wad of towel from his face and with an emotional zeal, receives the hug from his father. One that apparently, they haven't had in quite a while. Crystals of tears gather beneath his eyelids, but this time, they are dissipated by a breathtakingly content smile. He only wishes his mother were here to witness this wonderful moment. One which for a number of reasons, he will always remember.

"I'm so proud of you.." his father whispers ".. Keep being exactly who you are." Mr Ehigie slowly mouths, as his voice cracks in emotion.

As they prepare to break free and gradually do so, an air of thickness looms between them. It is full of warmth, love and gratitude, but it's also dark, especially smeared across the visage of the slowly breathing Mr. Ehigie. But the warm smile Shola lets out rejuvenates the atmosphere once again, and his brother jumps in to give him an official celebratory handshake and an invigorating hug. They both share a moment of passionate mutual acknowledgement, after which Shola remembers something very important, "I need to call my somebody.. I.. I need to call Janet."

He exits fervently whilst bringing out his phone from the pocket of his trousers and leaving the backyard to the side of the house. Taking a breath, he looks up and bite his upper lip before looking down once more and typing the name into his smartphone keyboard. Angling his thumbs to the screen, he presses certain points with additional force because some areas of the partially cracked and grazed surface had nearly lost their sensitivity to touch.

"Please pick up." he moans under his breath, knowing that Janet rarely takes calls later than 8:00pm, if she even proactively takes any at all throughout the day. Her primary preference for communication is text; detailed and elaborate texts which save her the opportunity to make effective responses in due time, as it apparently is her most cherished resource. Nevertheless, she has in the past acknowledged certain communication challenges which underlie all of the above.

After ringing for about the fifteenth second, she picks up the phone,

"Hello.. Shola, good evening."

"Good evening, Janett.. Queen of Kings.. How are you doing?"

Janet laughs, "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Feeling good! Feeling really good! How was your day?"

"It went fine. Just finished with dinner preparations. Was about to demolish the mountain of rice before me when I saw your call."

"Oh, then I'm glad I interrupted.."

"Lol.. Why?"

".. I love your figure the way it is. Spec of specs. Please don't change anything, babe."

"Lol.. My figure is mine to worry about, thank you. But in case anyone is concerned.. they needn't worry. This milkshake still brings many boys to the yard."

"LOL!.. Woah! Who are you and what have you done with Janet??.. Haha.. Are you sure I don't have the wrong number?.. Is this Stella.. or Erica.. or perhaps Stacey?.."

"Haa.. Abeg, no be me and you o.. This is Janet, biko. I could never fill in those ladies' shoes.."

"What are you trying to say?.. That their shoes are too loose?? Or that they are worn out??.." Shola responds with a mischievous grin.

Janet laughs, "No, please.. Don't put words into my mouth.."

"I stand against woman shaming. I'm a radical feminist. Be careful not to trigger me. Girls just want to have fun and the guys are not complaining, so back off." Shola says, before they both burst into laughter.

Deep in profuse laughter, Janet inquires earnestly, "Omg.. Shola, please why did you call me? You have turned me into a gossip this evening, and I refuse to continue this conversation."

"Okay, love.. sorry about that. You know I like to tease you.. because it's very fun and you make it easy. I called to tell you something wonderful. And I want you to guess first.."

"Hmm.. What could it be?.. School related??.. Or did you finally get back with your gf?.."

"Wow. My heart just broke. For real??"

"Wait.. wait.. uhm.. okay. Something just came to my mind, especially since you called me today. And this is something big, so I'm not instinctively certain but.."

"Yes.. keep going.."

"It could be the Speak Nigeria essay competition because I hear that winners are already being contacted. Especially for the raffle draw.. wait.. have they contacted you?.."

Shola sighs and smiles, "Yes, Janet. They have.."

"Oh my! That's fantastic!! What did you win!!!"

"By divine grace.. I won first place." he responds, nearly in a whisper.

"Sholaaa!!.. That is awesome! This is extremely wonderful!.. Oh, my God. You deserve it so much. I'm so happy for you. I always knew you had it in you. Wishing you more successes ahead. I'm sure your dad will be so proud."

He takes a deep breath to prevent tears from rolling down his eyes before responding, ".. He was."

Sniffling the nasal flood of emotions slightly in, he then adds, "Sorry to bother you so late at night with my news. I just really wanted to share it with you, and to say, thank you."

"Oh Shola.. I've told you before.. that you don't ever need to thank me for anything. I like being helpful. Moments like these where through some input, I can help bring lasting joy to someone in a genuinely impactful way are beyond priceless. I'm happy for you and I'm almost in tears because I know how much this success means to you. Glad you got it and I hope you savour it real good."

He smiles, "I am. Well mostly.. I don't want it to get to my head."

"I know. But please don't start trying to convince yourself that somehow you were just lucky.. or that you were not worth it. Because the truth is, you are. You work so hard and you remain ever passionate, so my dear, keep soaring. Have a wonderful night, Shola."

"You too, Janet. Thank you."

"Oh and before we end this call.. I do also have something that I need to tell you."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"I was informed today also that I came in third place."

"For real?? Jan.."

"Goodnight."

"Don't you dare cut this call!.. I will haunt you in your sleep!.. Janet!.."

The call ends.

He doesn't bother calling her back because he knows that if he tries to blow up her phone tonight until she picks up, she will block him. Temporarily perhaps, but she'd still block him.

Opting instead to return to his celebratory family, Shola turns toward the house and heads to the main back door. Standing there is Peter hailing him as he approaches, "Shola the victor! Shola the money man!" Then he taps his brother's shoulder and says, "My bro! 300k!.." while they smile blissfully at one another. As Shola heads into the room, Eki quickly closes in and shuns Peter's restless zeal, saying to him with hovering caution, "Don't go and announce it to everybody o. This is a private matter that we will first address as a family. Watch your mouth."

Afterwards, the Ojo family gathers together with warm and bustling emotions within the lit up room and shuts their door for the night. They do not give much peripheral notice about the most recent development to their neighbours or friends.

This night also, something very sad is revealed. The children of Ehigie Ojo inevitably learn that he has been laid off from work. He, alongside fifty other staff in his ministry who were categorized as 'supplementary workers' were given the boot in the most diplomatic yet icy way, and directed to clear their stations by Monday. So far, they have been promised a severance pay worth up to three months of their typical salary. Mr. Ehigie's situation in a number of ways, similar to those of many others, has been sort of complicated. Most of his corporate woes to date seem to stem from the non-possession of a university bachelor's degree or other first degree equivalent. And for the first time in almost twenty years of steadily getting by quite fairly regardless and even thriving in his workplace, he has come face to face with a stark sense of bleakness as a result of a now midlife future that seems to lie acutely uncertain.

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Glossary:
Yahu - Online fraud
Doh - So sorry (empathetic expression)
kpoofing - Getting robust or bodily thick
Bonboy - Newborn (baby)
"Oga Ojo!.." - "Mr. Ojo!.."
".. I get money na'i I still dey dis country. Na my wife dey do me well o. She dey give me beta food chop." - ".. I have money, and I'm still in this country? As if. It's just that my wife treats me well. She gives me good food."
"..I no dey quarrel wit am again. Anytime her body start to hot, I go just dey pet am, spin her head small, even sometimes, give am massage. Then she go just cool down. And everything continues." - "I no longer fight with her anymore. Whenever she gets triggered, I just pet her warmly and spin her with my words. Sometimes, I give her a good massage and then everything cools down sweetly."
"Abeg greet am for me o." - "Please say hi to her for me."
"We dey fine o." - "We're all doing fine."
"Ah ah.. On top this one wey you dey, na'i you still dey carry all this heavy load? " - "Wow.. In your condition, you still carry such heavy bags?"
"Na so I see am o. Dem dey do yearly audit, and na me dem place in charge of the supporting committee." - "I have no choice. They're currently doing a yearly audit and they placed me in charge of the supporting committee."
"You don hear wetin dey happen since yesterday? " - "Have you heard all that's been going on since yesterday?"
"Wetin be dat?" - "What's that?"
"Na the reshuffling wey start this month o. She sey dem don dey lay people off." - "It's the reshuffling that started this month. She said they're laying people off."
"..E no good?? Me wey don tire for this job." - ".. Isn't it good? I'm even tried of this job."
"Na so!.." - "Yeah right!.."
"You no believe me?? Heii.. this one na work?? If dem call my name like this ehn, I go go collect that letter, sharp sharp! Cash my severance! Make I travel go village, go establish my farm well. Then marry one fine girl wey go dey service me!" - "You don't believe me??.. Is this even a job?? If I get called today, I'll go collect that letter quickly! I'll cash my severance! And then, travel to the village to go establish my farm well. Then I'll marry one beautiful young girl who will service me well."
"Ah ah! You go con leave madam with us? " - "For real!! Would you then leave your wife with us?"
"That one go gree comot for Benin? That one go gree leave business?? Abeg ee.. once I go village, I go know sey na there me and am for see reach. Nothing dey this life o." - "Would she ever agree to leave Benin City? Would she ever agree to leave her business behind?? Please.. if I decide to go to the village, I know that it's definitely the last time I'm going to see her. There's nothing much to really die over in this life, man."
"Curator, you just dey talk! What of your pikin?? What of your last pikin wey dey here?? You go go leave am??" - "Curator, you're just bluffing. What about your child?? What about your last daughter? Are you going to leave her here??"
"No be secondary school she wan finish so?? As she enter uniben, I go dey send am money. E mama go still dey give am chop. Before you know it, four years e don finish. Dem dey tey before dem marry??"  - "Isn't she already about to finish highschool? By the time she enters the university of Benin, I'll be supporting her with money. Her mum will also keep supporting her with money and food; she won't lack anything. Before you know it, she'll finish in four years. And being a woman, she likely won't waste time getting married."
"Anyway.. I know sey na mouth you dey." - "Anyway.. I know you're just kidding, so there's no need."
"Hehe.. Just dey play." - "Haha.. Keep believing that."
"Leave am.. make ee dey yarn." - "Leave the man.. let him keep yapping."
"Make una dey off this TV nau." - "Darn.. You guys should make sure to always switch off this TV."
"Na Peter be dey watch am dat day before de take light." - "Peter was the last person watching it the other day before the power went out."
"Daddy neva come back?" - "Has dad not returned?"
"The one wey you cook, abi the one wey your money dey?" - "You mean the food you cooked, or the one you contributed money to preparing?"
"Ee be like sey I go call daddy o." - "I think I need to call dad."
"He dey outside nau." - "He is outside."