“Hello…” Lilian exclaimed as she picked
her phone call.
It was an unknown number.
“Good morning, dear.” An unfamiliar
masculine voice greeted immediately.
“Good morning, Sir…” she responded.
“Please, who’s this?”
It was about
some minutes past ten on October 8, 2008.
“Please, is this Okoro Lilian?” The
unknown voice enquired amidst the suspense.
“Yes,” she replied in a very low tone.
“Please, who is this?” She queried anxiously.
“Eh-eh-m,” the
caller quickly cleared his throat. “Okay, this is Adewale Martins.”
The name was relatively unknown to her.
“The Human Resources Manager of Arise
Group of Companies, Abuja.” He clarified.
“Oh,” Lilian exclaimed. “Good morning,
Sir.” She reiterated excitedly and apprehensively.
Arise Group of Companies Limited was one
of the notable firms in Nigeria whose headquarters was situated in the
country’s Capital Territory, Abuja; it majored mainly in production of foods
such as garri, baking flour and condiments, wheat and corn flour. Lilian
successfully passed through both the oral and written job interviews of the
company few days back alongside other several applicants.
Lilian, a 29-year old lady, was a graduate
of Marketing from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo
State, Nigeria; she graduated five years back, precisely 2003, after which she
participated in the Nigeria’s compulsory one-year National Youth Service
programme.
Mr Martins who happened to be the leader
of the 5-man interview crew set up by the company got her phone number from the
Curriculum Vitae (CV) she tendered to the company.
“Morning, my dear,” He responded to the
greeting. “Where do you reside?” He added.
“Kubwa Sir.” She answered.
Kubwa, which was one of the major suburban
districts in Abuja, was slightly near to the location of the company.
“Okay, you’re a resident of Abuja?”
“Yes
Sir.”
“Can you make it to our office first thing
tomorrow morning?”
Of course, that was one of the most vital
questions she longed to hear considering how long she had spent in the labour
market.
“Like what time, Sir?”
“By 9am.”
“Yes Sir,” she gladly concurred. “I can.”
“Okay, till then,” he said. “Ask of me
when you come.”
“Okay Sir.” Replied Lilian, smiling.
He cut the call instantly.
The
following day being October 9, 2008, Lilian who couldn’t wait to embrace the
moment arrived at the company as scheduled at exactly thirty-one minutes past
eight in the morning (8.31 am) far earlier to the agreed time. When she got to
the place, she was told that the HRM – Mr Martins was yet to be on seat, so she
had to wait till about some minutes past nine when he eventually arrived.
“Good
morning, Sir.” Lilian greeted, head bent as she walked into Mr Martins’ office
having closed the door.
Lilian clad in black suit coupled with
black plain trousers, black plain shoes and a white shirt recollected the face
she was seeing having come across Martins on a few occasions.
“Hello pretty,” Martins seated on his
office chair in his white suit exclaimed, smiling. “How long have you been here?”
“Almost an hour, Sir.” She said. Stood
still.
“Please sit down.” He urged.
“Thank you, Sir.” Said Lilian. Majestically
sat on one of the chairs positioned opposite the host.
“You are welcome.”
There was a few seconds silence.
“Actually… I invited you for a crucial
interaction,” he said. “That would be helpful to you.”
“Okay Sir.” She said, nodding. Smiled
heavily.
Her arms, which held each other, were
placed on the table.
“You see,” He rode on. “I like helping
young girls like you.”
“Thank you, Sir.” She appreciated,
lowering her head which was beautified with gorgeously plaited black hairs.
“Especially
pretty ones like you.” He added.
She smiled.
Lilian who was naturally endowed, was
obviously a dark pretty damsel that any man would wished to behold; she was
plump and average in height. Mr Martins who was in his early fifties picked
interest in her during the interview exercise.
“Before I proceed,” he said. “I would like
to ask you a question.”
“What is it, Sir?”
“Do you truly want to get this job?”
Amazed. “Sir,”
she said. “This is what I’ve been looking for, for over four years now.”
“Meaning,” said the HRM. “You can’t wait
to have the job, right?”
“Yes Sir.” She replied passionately.
He smiled. “So,” he said. “Are you willing
to do what is expected of you?” He finally hinted.
“Like what, Sir?”
“It’s a pity you’re not familiar with the
tradition.”
The
unsuspecting applicant remained curious.
Since the interview segment Mr Martins
picked interest in her, he had been preoccupied with series of fantasies
regarding his foreseen relationship with her. Mr Martins was a randy man to the
core in spite of the fact that he was happily married with four children; he
was very good in playing games.
“Meet me
at New Haven Hotel tomorrow by 10am,” Martins urged. “By then, the picture
would be clearer to you.”
“Hotel…?”
Lilian shouted naively. Deeply surprised.
“Stop
acting like a kid,” Martins enjoined. “This is what your mates do to get what
they want.”
At this point, she needed not a prophet to
interpret the circumstance to her; she couldn’t believe herself. When she was
invited over the previous day, she was totally of the view that she was coming
to pick her employment letter unknowingly to her that the reverse was the case.
Lilian was an ardent practising Christian owing to her family background, who
couldn’t imagine betraying the faith she had nurtured since childhood let alone
doing so with a man who was old enough to be her father.
“Sir, are you actually asking me to have
an affair with you?” She verified.
“The handwriting is bold and clear,” he
said. “Or, isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry Sir,” she said. “I can’t.”
“Stop being naive, young lady…” He ranted.
Martins was a no
nonsense man who believed he could get anything he wanted on a platter of gold.
“I’ve painstakingly gone through your CV,”
he continued, frowning. “You have been in the labour market for four years
now.” He said, looking into her eyes seriously. “And, I’m sure you wouldn’t
wish to continue with the unending job hunt.”
Immediately, he
appeared to her not unlike a monster. The scene occurred to her like a
daydream.
“Besides, do you think you’re the only
lady among the teeming applicants?” He proceeded. “I chose you because I care so
much about you.”
There was absolute silence.
“I’m sorry Sir,” she said. “I can’t.” She
disclosed. Stood up.
“Are you sure about this?” He enquired.
Amazed. Still on his seat.
He was yet to encounter such manner of
rigidity since he commenced his promiscuous lifestyle.
Lilian was
speechless while standing. She felt like pouring him acid.
“Well, I will give you some time to think
about it.” He added.
“There’s nothing to think about.” She
ranted. Hurriedly took her handbag which was kept on the table and walked
towards the office entrance.
“Nonsense,” Martins lamented. “Go and remain
in the street; apparently that’s where you belong.”
She hastily stopped on hearing the abuse,
angrily turned her head to where he was seated, sighed at him and dashed out.
“Non…sense!” Martins reiterated
disappointedly. Stood up. “Look at someone I wanted to help.” He thought aloud.
* * * * * *
“Hello,” Mr Martins said as he answered
his phone, which had already rang twice, right in his office. “Who’s this?”
“Sir, it’s me.”
It was an
unknown feminine voice.
“Who, please?”
“Lilian,” the voice answered. “Okoro Lilian.”
Probably he didn’t save her number on his
phonebook.
That was the least of the names Martins
expected to hear. It was in the morning on 16th of October 2008, exactly
one week the caller furiously left his office.
Lilian thought it wise to resort to his
demand after she got a misleading advice from one of her closest friends, Kemi
who was also a job hunter. Having shared the ordeal with her (Kemi), Kemi told
her that that was the kind of opportunity she had be awaiting, stating that she
wished she was in her (Lilian’s) shoes; hence, warned her not to forfeit the
offer. She never minded discussing the issue with her mum as she had always
done; thus she decided to keep her parents in the dark.
“So, what can I do for you?” Martins
queried.
“Please Sir,” she said. “Can I come and see
you in the office tomorrow?”
“For what?”
“I will explain when I come, Sir.”
“Young lady, tell me what you’re coming to
my office to do,” he urged. “The last time you were here, I was like a monster
to you.”
There was silence.
“Would you speak?” He reiterated. “Or,
should I cut this call?”
“No Sir,” she feverishly said. Gushed out
tears. “I’ve accepted.” She eventually
hinted in a low tone.
“Accepted what…?” He pretentiously
enquired.
“The offer, Sir.”
“Which offer?” He loudly asked. Laughed falsely.
“You amuse me; do you think we are selling crayfish here?”
“Please Sir.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Someone who’s more
serious has taken the space.”
“Plea…se Sir,” she pleaded. “I’m very
sorry for all the pains I caused you.”
He smiled; the plea was so fascinating to
him. He was wondering if such plea was coming from a woman who acted exactly
like a saint few days ago in his office.
“So, what do you want me to do now?” He
said. “Manufacture a space for you?”
“Sir,
I know you can do something.” She thought aloud. “Please, I’m on my knees.”
“Okay,” he
said. “Meet me at same venue at ten o’clock tomorrow morning.”
“Remind me the name, Sir.”
“New Haven Hotel,” he responded. “Room 235.”
“Okay Sir,” she concurred. “I’ll be there
by ten.”
“Good luck then.” Martins dished out. Cut
the call even though he wasn’t the caller.
Afterwards, in two days’ time, Lilian
became a staff of the Marketing Department of Arise Group of Companies Limited.
Interestingly, she was issued an official car with a driver on commencement
based on the ethics of the company.
Amazingly, Lilian’s romantic affair with
Martins continued to the extent that the silly game was being played even in
their respective offices. Initially, it remained secret not until one fateful
afternoon when they were caught in the act right in Martins’ office. The company’s
Management couldn’t believe it; Martins promiscuous behaviour was undoubtedly
hidden to them prior to the unthinkable incident.
Subsequently,
both of them were dismissed from the company. The unforeseen moment of grace to
grass came at about four months after Lilian secured the employment, February
2009 specifically.
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