OlaOlowo Media

The company 4 ............................................ By the time the police came, Stanley's wife and children had left the house. He was grateful for that as he didn't know how they would have processed seeing their father being led away by men in uniform. But even though he was happy that his family was not around to see him in trouble, he was scared. While they drove to the police station with him in the backseat flanked on both sides by two policemen, his mind went wild in thoughts. "Could the managing director have got to the chairman and they both teamed to bring down the might of the company on him? Could his email have been received badly and the chairman planned to shut him up before he would make any moves? Could this be a plan to muscle him into backing out? These and more ran through Stanley's mind as he was chaffuered to the police station.  At the police station, he was not processed neither was any documents made concerning his presence there. They ...

The company 3 ................................... Before Stanley could reach the door, the managing director had done a quick mental calculation and stopped him. He saw the fire and resolution in Stanley's eyes while he made the threat, and he knew he was not blushing. He also knew that something was giving Stanley a strong heart, thus he needed to tread cautiously. "Mr Stanley, I have known you to be a very good team player and a subordinate employee. I wonder what made you want to throw all that away at this point, but whatever be the case, I'm sure we can work out something. Name your price. What do you want? Money or promotion?", the managing director asked trying to bribe Stanley. The thought that his boss could only see his concern as something money could change made him angrier. He stepped closer to the managing director, looked closely into his face and said "sir, it is very disappointing that money is all that matters to you. But here, try and let so...

The company 2 .............................. Stanley could hardly contain himself. He was boiling inside, but there was nothing he could do. The managing director was his boss and he couldn't fight him. But he was very disappointed that his boss could place money ahead of human lives. Many lives for that matter. He decided to plead the case one more time. Probably his boss would have a change of heart. But immediately he opened his mouth to speak again, the managing director shunned him in the most intimidating manner. Stanley sluggishly stood up and left the office. As he walked the way back to his office, he tried so much to convince himself that he had done the best he could to prevent the distribution of the substandard hydraulic fluid. But the more he tried to convince himself, the more his inner self accused him of not doing enough. Back in his office, Raphael was eagerly waiting to hear what the outcome of his visit to the managing director was. He had his heart in his ha...

The company 1 ........................................................ As Stanley opened the door into his office, he had a smile on his face. A part of him seemed to have been resurrected back to life. He had missed his job. He took a few steps reaching the centre of the room and took a long deep breath with his eyes shut and his face facing the ceiling. "It feels good to be back", he murmured to himself. He looked around the office for a while before walking to his seat. He sat down, said a short prayer before opening the file lying on top of his desk. He knew what the file contained and couldn't wait to go through them. He hoped everything was good. Stanley was a middle aged man. He worked as a quality control officer in a manufacturing company. He was married and had two boys and a girl. He loved his job and was dedicated to it. He had been away for almost a month on his annual leave. Clearly, he had missed his job so dearly that coming back meant so much to him. W...

WHAT MY ELDER BROTHER'S WIFE TAUGHT ME... PART 5 ©Temi Akintade "Apply for a US Visa." I didn't even bother telling Chinomso about this dream. Because how do I even begin? Apply for a US Visa? I was expecting a business idea or plan like that of my friend. Why was my case different? Why would God tell me to do something bigger than my imagination? No one in my family has ever gone abroad and besides, I didn't want a repeat of what happened the other time. I would simply stay in Nigeria and open a uni-sex saloon. Besides I was certain that I would make it. The dream came again and again, but I ignored it. After all, he once heard that the devil and even the flesh tend to manufacture dreams. One cool evening in August, Chinomso came for a haircut and he gave me the shocking news. "God has told me to tell you that you have a small mind. That how can he use you if you cannot think big?" I turned off the clipper and sat on a wooden stool facing him. I...

WHAT MY ELDER BROTHER'S WIFE TAUGHT ME...PART 4 ©Temi Akintade It's been 4 weeks since Chinomso gave me the unfortunate letter. And even though the letter was currently lying on my bedside stool, I didn't spare it a glance. I rose from my new 4 inches sized bed and stood at the window. Chinomso's mini-mansion was in view. There were few but shady trees in the compound. The mango trees produced lush yellow fruit and the frangipani trees that lashed against the window panes when it rained. Every morning, I would watch the gardener trim the hibiscus flowers and the other yellow flowers which Chinomso called tulip. While the house helps Chinemerem the sixteen-year-old boy they just brought from Aba last month would sweep the large compound clean until there were no traces of green and yellow leaves. That was the way Chinomso swept me up with his offer. He offered me a one-bedroom apartment in one of his boys' quarters plus the benefit of eating three square meals a ...

WHAT MY ELDER BROTHER'S WIFE TAUGHT ME... PART 3 ©Temi Akintade I cried until there were no more tears in my tear gland at least that was what I thought. I was calmly seated on a plush sofa in a nicely furnished sitting room. The air conditioner was enough to reset my brain into my 'comfort zone. Chinomso and I were seated in his cozy sitting room in his mini-mansion located somewhere in Asokoro. Never in my life have I seen houses and roads look so beautiful. I almost thought that I was in heaven when we entered Chinomso's estate where he bought a mini-mansion. As I watched him shake his well-shaved head at my story, my mind began to recollect the details of a few hours ago. Chinomso had come to the university to see one of his friends who was a lecturer then according to him, he felt the Holy Spirit leading him to the barber's shop opposite the university gate where he met me. I was so overjoyed that I told him to please help me thank the Holy Spirit because I was ...