Disrespected

Lanre asked Ebitari to sit down. Then she started by asking her how she was doing and if she was okay with the work. She also asked her if she was getting along with her colleagues and if she was finding any trouble at the place she was living in with Sharon.

Ebitari told Lanre she was fine and that there was no problem between her and her colleagues nor at the place she was living in. She told Lanre that Sharon was also nice to her as well. Lanre forced a smile. Lanre decided to hit the nail on the head since she did not have time to merry round the corner.

“So why then are you always crying at nights?” Lanre asked. Ebitari became mute. She did not say anything but rather, she fiddled with her fingers with her face down. Lanre snapped her fingers across Ebitari’s face and asked her to speak. Ebitari went on her knees and started pleading with Lanre that she will never cry at night again. Lanre shook her head.

“That is none of my business! My business right now is to know why you are always crying”. Lanre said. Tears streamed down Ebitari’s eyes.

“I don’t know how to say it”. Ebitari cried. Lanre placed her elbows on the table and supported her chin with her hands. She asked Ebitari to say it anyhow and that she will look for a way to decode whatever she says even the one that does not make sense.

“Can I use pidgin?” Ebitari asked. Lanre told her to go ahead.

“Ma, I am tired! I comot from Bayelsa come Lagos make I come work, no be say work no de Bayelsa especially for Yenagoa when I de stay. But if I de there, the disrespect and insult de too much. And I no go see wetin I de work because of expenses”. Ebitari said using Nigeria pidgin. She told Lanre that the reason she had left Bayelsa state to Lagos is was not because there was no job in Bayelsa, but the responsibilities was too much and she would be disrespected if she remained there.

Lanre asked her why she had said she would be disrespected. Ebitari told her that disrespect was one of the most common thing in her place. She explained that back in Bayelsa, she was living in her parents house and they were already laughing at her because she was through with school and still has no decent job. On other words, she was a university graduate.

She told Lanre that another reason she left was because before she gets her monthly pay for a particular month, the money must have been divided among her family members and she ends up saving nothing at all. She thought if she travels far from home and work in Lagos, it won’t like that, but it has gotten worse. Almost everyday her siblings and her father will call her requesting for money and she’s wondering where she would get that money from. If she says no, her father and siblings will insult her. Her parents keep having children they can’t even feed.