Dayo lay in his small student matras that was laid in the floor, he was full of thought, he hated that he had no job.
He picks his small Nokia 3310, he looked into the screen of it and sighs deeply.
He is hoping his friend Ayobami will call him that his boss needs a worker in his bar.
Dayo has put in for job in so many agencies, he has travelled from his village in Ekiti state to Lagos state, the commercial city of Nigeria, the most populous city in Africa,several times but never had luck.
He would have stayed back in Lagos in those few times that he comes to search for job in Lagos state but because I had no one he could squat with he would have no choice than return.
There are many times he had coke for interview and he would end up being scammed.
That is one thing about Lagos, it’s either you learn the hard way or choose to be the tough enough not to be broken.
After so many scammed interview that he had attended, he decided ti give up and stay in the village.
After two months of giving up, he decided to start his job hunting again because staying in the village isn’t helping matters, he needs to go out and do something more professionally rather than farming for people or clearing farmland for farmers.
Two weeks ago after making up his mind to move to Lagos with the little he manage to save, his mom fell sick and all the money had gone into her treatment, the money remaining with him is very little.
He had been searching for farm clearing job or just anything menial to do so he could save up again but there seems not to be luck on his side.
Few days ago, his friend Ayobami came back from Lagos looking all fresh and good, he asked him what he was doing and he told him , he works in bar on the Lagos island.
Ofcourse Lagos is that city that people work hard in the morning and have fun at night and as for Lagos island, it is the home for the big boys, when you hear the ballers , that is where their home is.
And when you hear the best celebrities out of Nigeria or maybe Africa , Lagos Island, Banana Island is their home.
What about billionaires , the influential and non influential ones, the popular and non popular ones and even some Mafia’s but you just can’t tell that they are Mafia’s, they are the coded Mafia and the mainland for the gangstas then the coded gangstas live on the island too.
Lagos island is the city for glam and glitz of every night.
He pleaded with him to please help him get such job, he told her he would help tell his boss even though he isn’t sure.
Ayomide left the second day and ever since then Dayo never stop staring into his cellphone hoping for his best friend call.
When Ayobami didn’t get a call from his friend after two weeks he gave up staring into his phone every now and then, he then thought of becoming a full time farmer in he village.
He got out of his bed very early, he went to check on his mom in her room, she wasn’t there, then he walked into their kitchen where he found his mom making a locust beans stew.
He prostrated “ Good morning ma” he said it in his dialect. His mom turn around and answer him.
She prayed for him as she answered him then his phone rang in his pocket.
I quickly bring out his cellphone and look into the screen before he picks the call then he saw the name on the screen, it’s Ayobami.
“ Ayobami! He muttered and quickly rush out of the kitchen.
“ Ayobami! I thought you wouldn’t call again” I said to him.
“ Yes, I didn’t call because I am always busy and again , in all those two weeks my boss didn’t need anyone but he does now, he needs a worker but it’s not a bar job, I don’t know if you will accept the job with your qualifications and being a first class graduate” he says to him.
“ Bro, listen, Like you don’t know how desperate I am? I am very desperate, Like I need to get the hell out of the village and earn cool cash, I don’t care what job it is, as long as I will earn” Dayo replies excitedly.
“ Okay, the pay is okay, it’s a hundred thousand naira a month” Ayobami says to him over the phone.
“ What?! Hundred what? Are you pulling my legs or what? Dayo asked.
“ Pulling your leg as per how? Listen Dayo that pay is real but I don’t know if you would accept he nature of the job? Ayobami says to Dayo.
“ Just tell me the job or just give me address I will come , I really need that job” Dayo replies convincing and curious to know what kind of job it is.
“ Okay fine, it’s an houseboy job” Ayobami says to him.
Dayo became quiet and sighs, he thinks back to how hard he would study from high school till he got into the university and when he serve the country for one year and when he came out with first class as an electrical engineering student, he thought he had gotten the ticket to secure a job anywhere in the country but when he searched for hood two years , then reality hit him that there something call fate and there is something call connection and that here in this country , everybody needs it.
After flashing back to his past then the sound of a plate that fell from his mom brings him to his present that he has a responsibility.
Ayobami then calls out his name over the phone. “ You don’t want the job? He asked him.
“ what do you mean I don’t want the job? He quickly replied.
“You were silent so I was already taking that as an answer that you do not need the job” Ayobami says over the phone.
“ When do I start? Dayo asked.
“ Other’s are applying for this job, he will start interviewing anybody sent to him by agency, so you better start coming, Ekiti to Lagos is just three to four hours, so hit the road Bro, when. You get to Lekki, call me and I will pick you up” Ayobami says to him.
“ Alright, thanks so much Bro” Dayo says over the phone.
“ I have to go, I need to resume at work” he says and and hangs the call.
“ Hundred Thousand Naira” Dayo muttered to himself. I rushes to his mom.
“ Mom” his mom turns to him land he says to his mom excitedly.
“ Mom, Ayobami just called and he said there is a job for me, he said I should come now so that someone else don’t get the job”
“ Really? Finally? His mom embraces him happily.
“ Go and get ready, after two years of job hunting you cannot loose this” his mom says to him.
Dayo quickly rushes to his room, he undress and rushes into the bathroom, he took his bath and quickly rushes in, he quickly pick the coconut oil he has been using for a while to cream his body since he couldn’t afford a better cream due to he has to save every penny for both he and his mom to survive and most especially if Ayobami calls that there is a job.
He quickly pick his best dress that he was fortunate to buy during his youth copper due to the allowance they get from the government for serving the nation.
The shirt has already turn faded, his Jean pant was still manageable.
He quickly dress up pick few up his faded dress as fold them into his luggage box.
His mom knocks on his door, he rushes to the door and she gave his food to him.
“ Thank you ma” he says and took the food from her, after packing his food, he sits and eat then he walks into the kitchen to wash the plate, he knocks on his mom’s door to tell her he is leaving.
His mom came out to him she prayed for him and she see’s him off to the garage.
Luckily for him when he got to the garage, the bus going to Lagos had just one passenger seat, he quickly enters and bid his mom by, his mom stood and watch as her son leaves to Lagos.
She returns home and she think back to twenty four years ago when she used to work for Dayo’s grandma, she used to be a maid then along the line she and Dayo’s dad fell in love thinking it will lead to marriage.
Although Dayo’s dad loved her and promised her but when his mom heard she rejected her that she doesn’t befit a mafia family that he is supposed to choose from a mafia family and not an ordinary gold digger like her but Dayo’s dad never left her instead he took her away from his mother and rented her an apartment.
But after that day, Dayo’s dad never came back for her.
She hoped for a long time, she did all her best to raise Dayo all alone but when Dayo got to high school she became ill and couldn’t work so much again, paying rent and bills became hard, inflation in Lagos state was too much so she had to return to the village where she manage to help her mom in her food canteen.
This is how she and her mom manage to help Dayo got through high school, when her mom died she took over the canteen to train her son through university.
She sighs as she brings out a photo album, she then bring out a picture of she and Dayo’s dad and her tears dripped down.
Four hours later, Dayo got down in Lekki garage where she call his friend to come and pick him up that he has arrived.
Ayobami quickly ask someone to stand in for him, he quickly took a cab to go and pick Dayo , when they met they exchange greetings then he asked him to enter into the cab while the driver helped him put his luggages into the car trunk.
The cab took them to Ayobami’s residence. They got out of the cab and walk into a gated house.
Dayo was surprised that his friend lives in a good neighborhood.
“ Is this where you stay? Dayo Asked Ayobami.
“ Yes but I don’t live alone” he says as they walk i
to a rented three bedroom apartment , Ayobami brings out his key and enter.
Dayo looked around the house,he was surprised to see a well equipped house.
Ayobami noticed the way he looked around the house and he smiles.
“ I don’t live here alone, we are about eight who live here, we share the rent payment” He clarify.
Dayo nodded, “you can have some rest because I will be back at about six in the evening that is when the bus comes to work”Ayobami says.
“What? Your boss comes to work at night? Why doesn’t he come in the day? Dayo asked.
“ It’s a club and that is when his work starts, that is when the billionaires comes to club, they come for the slay queens, slay mama’s and the strippers, it’s another life here bro” Ayobami says to Dayo as he opens the door to his room and Dayo enters , he drops his luggage box.
“ Make yourself comfortable, I have to go now, I will be back by six to pick you to meet my boss” Ayobami says to me.
“ Thanks bro, I owe you one” Dayo says to Ayobami.
Ayobami took his leave and Dayo sits on the edge of the bed.
Few minutes to six, Dayo was ready for Ayobami to come.
Ayobami arrived at fifteen past six, he laughs as he see’s how ready Dayo was for the job, he smiles.
“ You are really prepared for this job” he says and walks to the kitchen he brings out a chilled bottle water, he pours himself some water, he drinks it and walks into his room, he took a shower and change into another shirt and pant trouser.
“ Let’s go, Uber is waiting outside” he says to him and they both step out of the house.
They both step out and enter into the Uber.
The Uber drove to the night club and Dayo couldn’t help but look at how beautiful it is on the Lagos island.
The Uber drove them to the club and Dayo couldn’t help but widened his eyes to the atmosphere.
He has only seen clubs like this in movies and not in real life.
Ayobami made the payment and they walk to the bouncers, Ayobami explained to them and they made a call to their boss and they were allowed in.
When Ayobami steps in , he began to sway to the music being played by the DJ a hit single by Asake and Ayra( Warm up) he seed’s stripper doing their thing on the pole, he looks to his side , he sees the big guys spraying on someone’s butt as she twerks for him then he sees, some guys who just walk in spraying money on the strippers while he saw three men sitter with a girl dress half naked dancing in the middle table.
Ayobami smiles at the way Dayo was looking around.
“ You seems fascinated about all of this ?If you are fascinated about all of this , what will you do when you get the job and live in banana island with my boss” Ayobami says.
Dayo leg became numb all of a sudden. “ Banana island? He asked.
“ Yes, my boss lives in Banana island” Ayobami says to Dayo.
“ Wow” Dayo says excitedly.
They climbed the staircase walk past the VIP section and they walk to Ayobami’s boss luxurious office.
When they get to the office, Dayo couldn’t help but admire the office, when they entered there are three other young men there.
“ Good evening Sir” Ayobami bows and Dayo quickly greeted and bow.
“ Sir, This is my friend that I told you about” Ayobami says to him.
Ayobami boss scanned Dayo from head to toe. He like his dark colour, his handsome face and his height.
“ Coke here, come give me a shake? Dayo looks back to his friend and quickly stretched his hands forward and Ayobami boss accepted his handshake.
“ Raymond Craig” he says to him.
“ Dayo Falade sir” Dayo quickly says.
Raymond let go of the hand. “ I think I have what I want, Dayo congratulations, others next time” Raymond says and Ayobami was so happy.