In the beginning of the month, I wrote that this challenge would either last 13 or 31 days but as it is, I will just go all in 😎.

The story I shared yesterday made me remember another interesting story about the place I worked after the cyber cafe.

I resumed work in another place less than two weeks after I got fired. But this time, it’s a media house and it was my first real shot at journalism.

Just so you know, I was the president of Press Club back in secondary school.

At this new place, I was offered the job of an office/research assistant. Guess what, the pay was lower than my last one at the cafe 🤦‍♂️.

A couple of months into the new job, I already started writing news stories and attending events. And after about a year there, I started freelancing for Tech360ng.

Tech360ng would end up being my ticket into the new media space. A special shoutout to Abiodun Thorpe for that.

Back to my story. I was still working at this media house when I picked up Unilag form.

Towards the end of the following year which was about 20 months on the job, I requested for my 2-week leave to enable me write my exams which was approved.

Back then, I was carrying afro, bigger than the picture below.

My boss asked that I cut my hair but I won’t. Then came the gbos, I won’t get my salary until I cut my hair. Like seriously!

Are you surprised that there wasn’t a gbas. The gbas actually happened some months prior to the gbos but on another matter. The gbas is a premium content 😜. Let’s do that in camera.

Back to the gbos, I didn’t have the luxury to start a tug of war over my own hair. It was about two days to the commencement of my exams. So I cut the hair, got paid and went for my exams without saying much.

I finished my exams and resumed work. Few weeks later, I dropped my resignation letter. Then I was offered an increase in salary but it was no longer about the salary for me.

Boundaries!!!

What’s it with people offering a raise whenever an employee wants to leave? Give people what they deserve not when it’s too late or someone else appreciate them more and take them off you.

By the way, I didn’t have any potential job opening that made me resigned: I was just tired.

Just like the cyber cafe, I was performing multiple roles here as well: a journalist, graphics designer, and dispatch rider. I don’t ride motorcycle but I was jumping buses and bikes to deliver magazines around Lagos. Come on!

It’s a long story and please, don’t bother asking about the salary.

I look back on some of these things and just smile. I’m still on the journey, we are getting there.

A special birthday shoutout to Femi (OBO). We are March babies 😎.

Note that tomorrow is my birthday, you can ask for my office address in case you want to ‘Anon’ me with a gift 😉.