Ode to Lagos

Wrote this heartfelt news (love) letter (as you can see from the date) in January 2018. 

Right at the start of my 2nd missionary journey to PH which started off even worse than the first. I sat in my dark apartment and fiddled on my laptop, sorely missing the routine of my life back in Lagos. Browsing through my old files to make space, came across this little gem and thought how poignant it is for this Quarantine lockdown life. The thirst and disruption to our routines, to our lifestyles is always a blow to our systems. Inasmuch as we all ache to be children of spontaneity, we often fall into a routine that suits us and our lifestyles (lavish or otherwise) and anything that forces us into an unfamiliar confined space is always unwelcome and a tad uncomfortable. I guess we are not as flexible as we thought. Sad part about it is, as I returned to Lagos my routine slowly morphed into something else, some part of it stayed the same (Church and Grocers on Saturday mornings) but the rest, sort of adjusted as part of a compromise of where I saw myself, who I was growing into, what my budget required. Something tells me that our lives will have to do the same post-Covid19. Hopefully it's for the better and not the worse. 

Some parts of us, how we live, are simply not negotiable, I'm afraid.  

Ode to Lagos - A Newsletter

Wrote this Newsletter (as is apparent from the date) in January 2018. 

Right at the start of my 2nd missionary journey to PH which started off even worse than the first. I sat in my dark apartment and fiddled on my laptop, sorely missing the routine of my life back in Lagos. Browsing through my old files to make space, came across this little gem and thought how poignant it is for this Quarantine lockdown life. The thirst and disruption to our routines, to our schedules is always a blow to our systems. Inasmuch as we all ache to be children of spontaneity, we often fall into a routine that suits us and our lifestyles and anything but that forces us into a new confined space is always unwelcome and very uncomfortable. I guess we are not as flexible as we thought. Sad part about it, is as I returned to Lagos my routine slowly morphed into something else, some part of it stayed the same (Church and Grocers on Saturday mornings) but the rest, sort of adjusted as part of a compromise of where I saw myself. Something tells me that our lives will have to do the same post-Covid19. Hopefully it's for the better not the worse. Some parts of us, how we live, are simply not negotiable, I'm afraid.

Work Culture Clash

The worst thing you can do to yourself professionally is work your entire professional career in an advanced progressive country such as America, for some of the best companies, some of them in the top tier, and then leave that to come to work in such an obtuse, regressive, opinionated 3rd world country such as Nigeria. 

First of all, the bar has been set so fucking high that nothing even comes close to the innovation achieved in America. Even some small countries in Europe cannot compare. Then, Nigeria. They don’t even try to come close. They instead insist on maintaining their low standards and want to crawl towards progressiveness and when they finally find it several years later, after chastising you repeatedly for daring to introduce to them these advanced concepts, they tout its value and start writing long list on its values. At this point you're left wondering, "I did mention the values when I subtly and sledgehammer approach tried to introduce these concepts to you, don't you remember?" The same applies for small local companies as well as multinationals doing business here as well. At first I thought it was just the local companies but multinationals lower their standards just so they can do some type of business here. It's almost troubling when you think of it, like, I know you cannot understand me when I speak to you as an adult so let me speak the childish gibberish that you might possibly understand. Before you know it, that childish jabber becomes their "means of doing business in Africa."

Secondly, there's this inert pride. The pride of not wanting to learn, not wanting to be told how things ought to be done. 

I grapple with that every day, with the few jobs I have managed to get in Nigeria, I struggle to even set my standard low, like how low can I go, how low before I swiftly forget how business is supposed to work, what is common place, what is modern and advanced and innovative? Do I have to condescend toward the gutter? Do they even want to be elevated? Tell me…let me help you get to where you need to be, this pedestrian settle-for-less mentality will not make it, on a global scale. Yes, you have Oil and several untapped natural resources but don’t you want to build on yourself. 

Overall, I just find myself experiencing the worst absolute despicable emotion professionally. I find it hard to forgive whatever it is that got me in this mess. That this is my life now. That, this is my new reality.

Coronavirus - Of Productivity and Meetings

Prior to the COVID19 pandemic crises, Nigerian employers generally rarely ever: 

1. Let employees work from home/remotely; 

2. Conduct candidate interviews, board meetings, or any type of meeting virtually; or 

3. Host or participate in a webinar. 

I was first introduced into the concept of working from home by my employer in 2011. At that time, Atlanta was (and probably still is) experiencing a lot of traffic congestion, backups, etc and there were all these studies sponsored by tech companies on how it would make your employees happier, more productive and reduce gas emissions thus creating a cleaner environment and of course, ease traffic. We fed this to our Senior Management and they immediately approved it. In a team of 6 we each picked a day of the week in which to work from home. Choice days as Monday or Friday were based on seniority. I got Tuesday. We eventually progressed to 2 days and I progressed into seniority so I got to pick Thursday and Friday. I have also interviewed virtually for several positions since 2010. Phone screens would be conducted, sometimes involving more than one interviewer, and if I performed well, I would advance to an in-person interview, possibly involving travel to another city. 

In December, I was invited to an interview for a position in Abuja. The company would not pay the cost of travel (and probably the cost of relocation) so I had to factor it into my budget. Not wanting to be price gouged by airline Christmas travel prices, I asked that since this was the 1st interview if I could possibly interview via Skype, and then if I advanced and got shortlisted to the in-person then I would fly down to Abuja. This was quickly shutdown as not an option. It's never an option with these folks. They acted as if they had no idea what I was talking about. How dare she bring this up, does she think she's special? I was also getting over the flu at that time which I made it known to them, meaning my travel might have involved infecting everyone along the way, even the interviewers with the flu. But did they care? It's all about in-person in Nigeria, let us see your face. Swayed by their unwillingness to be flexible, I didn't attend and I missed out on an interview (and a probable job) that could be done virtually in 2019. 

Cut to 2020 and the #COVID19 crises has ensured that we put an end to the `we need to see your face' mentality, instead instituting the much needed "social distancing" and holding of meetings/webinars via Zoom/Skype. I remember the last set of queries I got from that employer who will not be named and it had to do with arriving late to the office. It was to the effect of, "work starts at 8am and not anytime thereafter". And my silly preteen manager supported that mindset, that 'arrive on time, we need to see you at your desk otherwise you're not working' mindset. A much younger boss you would have assumed would be more attuned to the value of technology and flex hours much more than us older (assumed outdated) ones. But that was the work culture we all suffered pre-COVID19, and here this little ole virus has come to instill some sanity into interactions by introducing technology where it was needed, creating a little space, making a little sense. In the midst of this turmoil, technology has found a way to resonate with employers forcing them to fully embrace the virtual world, encourage remote work otherwise they risk total unproductivity (some work is better than no work) and offer us employees the opportunity to not be a slave to punching in at 8am.

Work in the time of Corona

Prior to the COVID19 pandemic crises, Nigerian companies generally rarely:

1. Let employees work from home/remotely;

2. Conduct candidate interviews, board meetings, or any type of meeting virtually; or

3. Host or participate in a webinar.

First started working from home in 2011. In a team of 6 we each picked a day of the week in which to work from home. Choice days as Monday or Friday were based on seniority. I got Tuesday. We eventually progressed to 2 days and I progressed into seniority so I got to pick Thursday and Friday. I have also interviewed virtually for several positions since 2010. Phone screens would be conducted, sometimes involving more than one interviewer, and if I performed well, I would advance to an in-person interview, possibly in another city.

In December, I was invited to an interview for a position in Abuja. The company would not pay the cost of travel (and probably the cost of relocation) so I had to factor it into my budget. Not wanting to be price gouged by airline Christmas travel prices, I asked that since this was the 1st interview if it was possible to interview via Skype, and then if I made it through that shortlist to the in-person then I would fly down to Abuja. It was not possible. It's never an option with these folks. They acted as if they had no idea what I was talking about. How dare she bring this up, does she think she's special? I was also getting over the flu at that time and I made it known to them, which means my travel might have involved infecting everyone along the way, even the interviewers. But did they care, it's all about in-person in Nigeria, let us see your face. I didn't go and I missed out on an interview that could be done virtually in 2019.

Cut to 2020 and the #COVID19 crises has ensured that we put an end to that `we need to see your face' mentality, instead instituting the much needed "social distancing" and meetings via Zoom/Skype. 

I remember the last set of queries I got from that employer who will not be named and it had to do with arriving late to the office. It was to the effect of, "work starts at 8am and not anytime thereafter". And my silly preteen manager supported that mindset, that 'arrive on time, we need to see you at your desk otherwise you're not working' mindset. A much younger boss you would think he would be more attuned to the value of technology and flex hours much more than us older ones. But that was the work culture we all suffered pre-COVID19, and here this little ole virus has come to make a little sense, enforce some structure to work place interactions. 

In the midst of this turmoil, technology has found a way to resonate with employers forcing them to fully embrace the virtual world, encourage remote work otherwise they risk total unproductivity (some work is better than no work) and offer us employees the opportunity to not be a slave to punching in at 8am.

Keanu - A Cure for our Rage

Read this interview of (my soul tie forever crush) Keanu the other day, and it just kinda resonated with me why this man means so much to me even though I've never met him. A few things hit me about him. and I had to relate it to me and my current status.

1. The interviewer kept fishing for information from him. About certain aspects about him. He replied blankly, "No I am not a buddhist if that’s what you’re asking." It just reminded me of my multiple “Are you a Nigerian?", questions, or non questions. And then the interviewer made it worse by trying to fish for information about the people that mattered in his life, people that he would lay his life down for, and he also shut that down. "Family and friends and friends that become like family." Also, reminding me how inquisitive and overly curious these Nigerian folk can be all up in your business…my man just shut that down. Family and friends. No names need to be recited. 

2. Then, when asked about his anger. He responded, "I haven’t really been that angry in a long time." That made me pause. It made me pause, exhale, and take a lot of deep breathes. You, Mr. John Wick. You do not get angry?? 

I am angry all the time. Like all the time. I stay away from people cos I don’t want them to make me angry and I see Keanu throw knives at people in a knife shop and shoot people in the head, and it somehow alleviates me of my anger, at least a little bit. On the other hand, here he is, the actor, and he doesn't even get angry. Like Sandra Bullock said, in one of my favorite lines in the hit movie, Crash, "I am angry all the time and I don’t know why." And that succinctly described me. So many facets of life incite your anger? 

Did they take too long with the set up for the scenes? Did your flight get unnecessarily delayed? Did your car start? Or in my case has my Mini Cooper that's been parked in a still position for about a year suddenly just develop a fault? These are just a multitude of stupid scenarios that have left me infuriated but oh well...It is either he doesn't have to deal these problems, or he responds to them differently...calmly. I'd prefer to choose the latter and hope to be the latter. 

But I suppose, that's Keanu, the cool breeze over the mountains, the still chillness over our tempered rage. 

Ides of Marcharona

As we closed out the month of March that felt like 90 days of weariness it was hard to put into words all that had befallen mankind from the first of the month till today. There are simply no words. 

There have been myriad lists and instructional videos created on how to deal with this "disruption". There’s been hurt, pain, anguish, confusion experienced in sheer measures. But for some of us, perhaps only a handful of us, there are simply no words. 

The mere existence of being in this state, this holding pattern, this instituted pause, defies reasonable explanation. It’s bad enough that some of us were already experiencing what I term a “career desolation phase” but then the rest of the world joined in, which made it even more… unnerving.

Good thing about a new month is that the newness brings with it so much hope. That’s it! That's the word I choose to embrace - hope. Hope that we (the world's economies, our psychés and our proverbial careers) all turn the corner and somehow beat this. 

Night is darkest before the Dawn, right? Well, Dawn...soon come. 

London in the time of Corona

Admittedly it seemed like a foolish frivolous idea. See London in the time of Corona. But the ticket prices were dirt cheap. The soon to be global pandemic was thought a myth in Nigeria and had only seen one index case (a foreigner no less) so it appeared, at the time, that Africa and Africans were immune to this silent enemy. Armed with all this information and with a recklessness and spontaneity that I hadn't experienced since my youth I decided to "See London in the time of Corona." To break the monotony of my mind-numbing utterly humiliating protracted job search and, to explore, experience and refresh. Motives were in the right place. Timing however was not. 

Upon my arrival at my first stop in Amsterdam it was soon announced that the US had closed its borders completely to non-nationals effective 2 days from present date. This you would think is not my concern because I was not on my way to the US. I was on my way to "see London in the time of Corona." However, other countries soon followed suite because the number of cases quickly began to increase and for health and safety reasons, life as we know it, slowly and incrementally began to disintegrate and eventually shut down. 

But you already know how this story goes. Any avid listener of news is aware of the demise to civilization and personal liberties that soon occurred to life as we know it. So in order to look at the bright spots and celebrate my FIRST vacation in 5 years (yikes!!!), I will share some of the images from the emptiness and stark spaces that greeted me as I attempted to "see London in the time of Corona."