By Nnaemeka Charles-Igbe
It was a rainy and semi-gloomy morning as Femi set out from his studio apartment out front into the parking space where a Toyota Corolla Bolt ride was. He got in the vehicle, said hi to the driver who confirmed the destination and they set out to his office Crescent Oak Wealth Management at Odili Road. The driver was not a very chatty one and Femi was relieved about that. He was a lawyer who represented the investment company and was trying to make a partner after being transferred from Lagos about two months ago. Femi Timilehin Peller-Briggs was an easy-going, humble, brilliant, ambitious Nigerian millennial born and raised in Lagos. He spent about six years at the University of Amsterdam for his master’s after his undergraduate education and youth service program. Femi was the only child of his parents, which meant he had overprotective and very conservative parents. His immediate family had a healthy and fantastic relationship, but their extended family was not so much besides Aunty Hauwa’s family, his mother’s sister, and his father’s younger brother.
His father worked in finance over the years as a senior officer and his mother was a Supreme court judge which in some ways arguably contributed to his current career choice in finance law. Femi’s father was very instrumental in his return to Nigeria after spending an extended amount of time abroad for his education because just like every man with principles, he did not agree with Femi’s desire not to return to Nigeria and reside in Amsterdam permanently enough to obtain citizenship. Femi’s mind drifted from a couple of years back, especially the back and forth between him and his father to how his mother was faring. He shot her a text for the first time in about three weeks on WhatsApp that read, “Hello Mummy, Ekaaro Ma, how are you? Work is great and I miss you a lot This city needs some getting used to lool. We’ll catch up soon for sure. Take it easy I love you”. He sighed, switched chats to Tobi, and asked if he was coming in to work that morning. He lowered his phone and look out of the car window streaks the rain caused, looked past it, and read a quote on the cab of a Mercedes bonnet truck carrying gravel that read “Never look down on anyone, only God sits that high”. He smiled as he recalled a similar sight of a caption that he saw on a danfo bus from his vehicle that read “Fear women and run for your life”. He smiled and said under his breath “Lagos is different for sure”.
Tobi replied to his messages saying he was en route but a little behind because of traffic. Femi read the message as the vehicle slowed down to a stop on the three-lane highway surrounded by cars and commercial vehicles. He was already ten minutes out and he would be late if he did not get to the office sooner. Fortunately, three minutes later the traffic decongested, and they were on their way. They pulled up to the office building at 17 King Perekule Avenue several minutes later with Femi running a little late. He clocked in and went straight to his office to settle in and get ready for his first meeting that morning. His senior partners had plans for a regional expansion and he was in the process of persuading them to hire him as a partner to manage a banking division. They were impressed with Femi’s work in the expansion and informed him that he would get an answer at the day’s end. He left the conference room feeling ecstatic and met up with Tobi who packed lunch for two that morning, and sent love from his mom Aunty Hauwa. Right after lunch, he got back into his meetings and reviews with his colleagues, and exactly an hour and a half before the close of the day he was called in for some congratulatory news about being made partner. He was extremely happy and proud of himself because he put the work in and it just paid off.
He called his parents and broke the news, and they were extremely proud. Femi’s father apologized for being so adamant about him returning because he could not stand having his only child away from him. His father was in touch with his roots, and he wanted the same thing for Femi who was not initially open to focusing on his career in Nigeria but in Amsterdam precisely. Right after the feelings and emotions were addressed in a different light this time, Femi realized it did not really matter as much because he was feeling extra blessed then. He knew he was just getting started because he’d barely adjusted fully to his new job but he would slowly make a name for himself in the environment he found himself in. “Can’t wait to see what life holds” he says under his breath smiling ear to ear.
