MY ENCOUNTER WITH A SECURITY GUARD

12 years ago, at a place I used to work, it was the 17th of the month. Salary at my office was usually paid on the 30th or 31st. I was very broke, and I had to use the last ₦300 with long trekking to get to the office.  

We weren’t many staff at the office. I reported directly to the MD, and other staff were my subordinates. Our relationship was purely official nobody knew about my personal life, and I didn’t interfere with theirs.  

It was getting close to closing time, and I had no cash to get home. Our office didn’t deal with cash, just administration and cashless transactions. My heart beat couldn’t allow me to ask my colleagues for help.  

When closing time came, everyone left. I pretended I had lots of work. I even considered sleeping at the office, though it was strictly against the rules for security reasons. The area had experienced thieves breaking into offices before. I was confused I hadn’t eaten before leaving home, had nothing in my stomach, and hadn’t brought extra clothes.  

At 10 PM, while resting my head on my laptop and dreaming of picking 1 billion naira from the ground, I heard a bang on my office door. I jumped up in fear it was security.  

The security man told me it was time to lock up. I took my bag and stepped out, confused.

I got to the gate and stood outside calculating:  If I trek home, it’s about 7 kilometers. If I’m lucky to reach alive, it’ll be 12 or 1 AM. Then how do I get to work tomorrow.  

I must have stood there for many minutes, lost in thought and pitying my life, when I felt a touch on my shoulder. It was one of the security men. He said, Oga, time don go oh! You never go house.  

I looked at him I don’t know where the courage came from and just said without thinking  

“O boy, na transport wear me rapper so!”  

The security man didn’t say a word. He went into their booth, came back with ₦2,000, and put it in my hand. I was grateful and promised to pay him back the next day.  

The next morning at 8 AM, I went to the security office to ask if I could pay by month’s end. But I was told they’d changed his shift at 7 AM, and he’d been transferred to another place. He wouldn’t be back until next week.  

I was secretly relieved it bought me time. But behold, that security man never returned to our office... even until I left the job.  

Few weeks back, I went to a bank in Area 11. Someone shouted with joy Oga Jonah. 

It was him! He was now a bank security guard. We were both happy to see each other. Before I left, I put ₦30,000 cash in his hand.  

That entire day, I just kept smiling feeling a joy I couldn’t explain. It was just too wonderful.

Until the moment when will shall dance in white Greater Grace.

Oyugbo Osagie Jonah