Skip to main content

WITH PEOPLE LIKE THIS

"Her mother started to scream in the night. When she got to her mother’s room, she met the woman vomiting blood and immediately, she was rushed to the hospital. Hours later the family was told there will be an operation."

I met OG on June 10, less than a month ago. She had come into the office for an interview to fill the position of Office/Domestic Assistant.

We interviewed her and decided to give her the job and she resumed work Monday, June 15. She was told to bring in her credentials and referee forms, already filled, so her file would be opened. OG was hardworking all right. If I had any problem at all with her, it’s the fact that whenever she spoke to me, I had to strain my ears to hear her, she never speaks loud enough, not even on the day of the interview. We strained to hear her that day also. The only person OG could speak freely and audibly to was my assistance, D, through whom she came to work with us.

I got to the office June 19th and was told by D about OG’s mother’s illness. She was discovered in the night. I consoled OG and told her not to worry that she will be alright.

Later in the day, D came to tell me OG wanted to go check on her mother in the hospital. I said no problem. OG came to me to borrow N100 to use for transport fare. She said she will refund when she returned. I didn’t have a N100 change on me so I gave her N500.

OG said she would be back before the close of work. At 4pm I asked D if she was coming back, he said yes. At 4.30pm, I asked D to call her. She didn’t pick her call. When I was about leaving for home, I collected her phone number from D. He said he would go visit OG and her mother the next day.

Saturday morning, I called D to find out when he was going over to OG’s mum, so we could go together, since I had no idea of the place. D’s phone was switched off. I called OG. She didn’t pick. I tried later in the day, same story. D had forgotten his phone charger in the office.

Monday, she came to work and apologized about Friday. She said her phone was stolen from her. She returned my money to me. I wanted to ask her to keep it, but I didn’t. OG said her mother was still in critical condition and the doctor said she had to be transferred to the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan for operation. I felt bad because she was feeling down. At a point I asked if she was crying because she looked like it, and I told her not to worry that her mother will be fine. She should trust God.

Tuesday, OG took permission to take her mum to Ibadan. I was in my boss’ office and heard her tell OG that from the description of the illness, it might be a spiritual attack and they should take the woman to MFM for prayers. Even my driver had advised OG that she should go take her mother from the hospital and not waste unnecessary money, that native medicine would cure her. I remember asking OG what exactly was wrong with her mum, and she told me she didn’t know the name of the illness in English. Okay.

She was absent from work on Wednesday, meaning she had gone to Ibadan with her mum. In the evening D told me she called saying she was back in Abeokuta and will come to the office. No show.

Thursday, she was absent from work, and D called the number she used the previous day. The guy who picked said she wasn’t around. On Friday, I told D to go find out what was going on. He didn’t know where she lives, that she had just changed accommodation and was about changing again. What?

Before close of work that day, D told me he got through to her and she said, she didn’t want to work anymore because she wanted to take care of her mother.

I felt there was no problem with that. But courtesy demands she comes into the office to inform my boss. Besides, she signed an agreement of six months probation.

Two days ago, Monday, My boss called me from Lagos. After we finished discussing, she asked after OG and I told her chick said she doesn’t want to work anymore.

My boss said she behaved badly. She asked me to tell D to get her to come in because her agreement contract stated a month notice on either side, or forfeit a month’s salary. So either she gives us notice or she pays a month’s salary. It is the company policy. In the case whereby this isn’t done, D, who brought her, would pay the cash.

D definitely wasn’t happy about the whole thing because OG was his church member. It was that day I knew that the address she gave us was unreal.

Yesterday, I came into the office and a whole lot of drama had occurred.
D told me the night before, he called the guy, whose phone OG uses to call D and begged the guy to take him to where OG lives. On getting there, D met a woman outside and told her he was there to see OG’s mum who is ill.

The woman said she is OG’s mother and she isn’t ill. D was confused. He asked the woman if she wasn’t transferred to Ibadan for operation. Woman said no. Then D told her everything and the woman was screaming. She promised to visit our office next morning to see my boss, which she did and I missed that. According to my boss, OG’s mother is very young and healthy. Why all the lies then?

D later told me that OG asked him for a loan of N10, 000 for her mother’s treatment and he said he didn’t have. So OG went to my boss and that was when my boss told her to take her mum to MFM. And later my boss told me she had planned to give OG N5, 000.

And I kept wondering why she did all that? OG had even moved out of her mother’s house months before. Why tell such lies about your mother who is very alive and healthy? Is she wishing her mother good or bad luck? I’m still in shock.