Enyinnaya@enyinna_
After my Call-To-Bar, from 2021 to mid 2022, I was paid 60k and 80k respectively at the two law firms I worked in. The first is a Top Tier firm into transactional law. I left it because my monthly expense was like double the pay or more.
The second is a small time litigation firm. I left because the man wouldn't complete the salaries until towards the end of the next month and got annoyed when we didn't say "Thank you, Sir," at our first encounter after each payment. Although, it wasn't just me he did that with. At the time I left, he was owing me about 30k or 40k.
According to his secretary, whom I'd run into about a month later, he (my former principal) lied to people around the building we worked, that I resigned because I asked him to lend me some money, and he refused because young people “need to be responsible with money.” (He'd had his oldest associate arrested because he owed that one a bigger sum and they wouldn't let it go. It was settled somehow.)
After my experiences at those places, I touched two more places, with a stint as Executive Assistant/Practice Manager for a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, whose employees literally billed me daily to help them take care of their families. After all, I was the “Ajebo Oga's boy”—and the salaries of 5 of them all together didn't add up to what Oga's daughter earned as a Youth Corper.
But Oga didn't pay me anything. He just gave me stipends twice and said those stipends would eventually add to the total sum of my salary. Because according to him, at 200k, I'll be his highest paid employee—ever, lmao. So, paying it "small small" we'd release the burden of the “huge” sum from him.
I followed him everywhere. I wrote his speeches for events, analysis for newspapers and academic papers, and I researched for him anytime he wanted to speak on TV. I also worked to digitise the law firm, redo the law library, review his book, recatalogue the case files of the firm. The courts were on vacation for half my time there, so I didn't go to court frequently.
I was like that new skool lawyer put to revamp a big traditional law firm and spice the life of its veterans. I actually liked the man. I often liked my bosses indeed. But I left because he wouldn't pay me. He always talked about “adding value over caring about money.” But I knew of his children. It seemed that didn't apply to them. After I left, I kept getting calls from that office until the next year.
I got employed to work in Data Protection/Anti-Money Laundering in a Tier 1 Bank. There they'd justify the little bits of cruelty and disrespect here and there upon the notion that they should be lucky they even got employed. “Have you seen the amount of unemployed graduates on the streets?” When such stupidity was directed towards the lawyers amongst us they'd say, "if not for us, you'd have been under the sun, “doing affidavit.” “Your white would have turned brown.” Of course, that wasn't the specific reason why I gave my notice of resignation.
But when I look back at all of it, I wonder if it would have been better if I just stayed home and switched on my laptop. What I found interesting in is, each time I wore my suit and tie (that i bought with my own money), and left home, and took these pictures, and appeared in these events, and spoke at the conferences, I was seen as a youth leader, an upright gentleman, a big boy, a leaned G, and I couldn't buy a Car. Like, I had no hopes of buying one. I had no hopes of making any major strides if I didn't get picked by a top firm or company. I didn't even have the time to apply for it. I lived in a state of constant lack. I have a record of sleeping for only like 4 hours a night, through my early adulthood until recently.
Now, it's important to state that as someone who's seen people lead a brilliant life due to their workplaces, I don't denounce working in any job. Nonetheless I'd love to point out some things.
Oh, and before I do, let me just say this: it won't be well with anyone who underestimates the value and essence of money—profit making and shared wealth.
Okay let's continue. The points:
1. It's totally okay to work to learn if it's a scalable investment which you can afford to make. If you can't, work to earn. But make sure it's scalable, still. Because you have to grow eventually as a human. Needs advance, things become expensive, and you need resources to make the right risks. If you feel guilty about working to earn, then I hope those whom you're trying to please pay your bills for you.
2. Most offices in Lagos have no reason to bring people to the office daily. This is the major source of fatigue amongst the youth. When you add the mental effect of screens and information explosions on the brain, you'd fear for the manner of health problems that await many of us.
3, Unfortunately, there's such a thing as being unable to afford a career move. Be sincere with yourself. You're not the same as your friend who collects rent for his parents. You can celebrate people's wins, admire them, and learn from them, without making quick decisions to be like them.
4. Employee incentive isn't limited to salary increase. It's been treated with dignity, being heard, reviewing compensation (for weekly wage instead of monthly, equity, profit sharing, broad HMO plans), flexibility (remote days, early noon resumption, shifts), and so on.
5. If you have a source of income that helps you pay for your basic needs, do not pick a job with an average pay, if it will hinder that source of income. A new job comes with a new lifestyle—new financial priorities. You'd care a lot about how you present yourself as a professional in a particular ecosystem. The social pressure alone would make you spend. Then, there's the expenses for personal development.
If you're not careful, you could throw away some 5 years of your life and not be much different than before. Lmao you could even end up in huge debt. So, if you already have your basic bills sorted, scale it by upskilling, or use it as leverage to find your ideal job. If it requires you to do some courses or join some networks, you should do it. It's what your comfort affords you.
You don't get a day job for the sake of it. Or worse, because you don't want to look lazy to your neighbours. A job must improve your lifestyle. If you can't tell specifically how it does, you're playing. I was making some money with law and writing when a neighbour told me he believed I'd dropped out from Uni, ‘cos he saw me spinning a basketball as I walked on a weekday. I still didn't explain myself to him. He's idle.
6. Because a work culture isn't for you doesn't mean the people there are inherently bad. You can recommend that same place to others. It's always great to have people in a "system.” I have friends in the oddest places.
7. Lastly, Nigerians are culturally cruel. So, you should care more about being in a work environment that is civil rather than a boss who is “good.” Because nothing assures you that the boss would be that way when it matters.
Also, anyone can look good from the outside. One woman I worked for as a Graduate Freelancer was busy appearing on Business Day Newspaper as she was owing me 30k. She'd ask for my account number each time I asked for my money, and didn't pay for 3 months.
Another instance, my friend had hit it off with her colleague during a program. So, he invited her to work for him. After a while, the same became progressively evil towards her and the other employees joined him against her.
There are many bosses who would donate to church, empowerment conferences, competitions, and still make you feel guilty for taking sick leave.
Am I missing something?