‘You are welcome to the Finance department,’ the CFO beamed with smiles as he introduced Mrs. Ikumapayi, the new Head of HR to the other members of his team.
‘Thank you…’ she paused as her gaze fell on the several files arranged inside the file cabinets, with spill-over files kept at the extreme side of the office.
‘Do you run a printing press here also?’ she asked sarcastically.
‘Those are current year files,’ the CFO responded, ‘we are already making adequate provisions for extra cabinets.’
‘Ma, we generate more files than every other department in this company,’ another team member responded, ‘there are still some of those files under our desks,’
‘Really?’ Mrs. Ikumapayi surveyed under one of the desks.
‘What is that under your table?’ she pointed one of her well-manicured fingers at Mrs. Salami.
The lady hesitated. All her colleagues already knew her as the office merchant; but can she trust this new HR, whose stare reminded her of Patience Ozonkwu?
‘They’re the items I bought…’ her voice fell flat.
‘For sale?’ her curiosity soared.
Mrs. Salami nodded. They are part of her side hustle.
Mrs. Ikumpayi shot the CFO a knowing look and for the first time, a faint smile escaped her tiny lips.
‘You’re aware of this, right?’
‘Of course I am,’ the CFO asserted.
‘‘Monday unfailingly, I would send the updated copy of the staff handbook. Welcome to a new regime.’
‘I don’t usually sell during office hours,’ Mrs. Salami defended, slowly shifting the carton with her leg.
‘Smart move,’ Mrs. Ikumpayi clapped, ‘so much for all this merchandize talk,’ It is my pleasure meeting with the entire Finance team.’
‘Same, here Madam.’
Mrs. Salami detested the air of superiority she exhumed as she spoke, and watched with eagerness as she took some majestic steps towards the entrance, but stopped midway.
‘How come you have so many files for statutory payments?’
‘Madam, those files are for the different statutory payments – PAYE, VAT, WHT, Consumption Tax and Company Income Tax,’ Mrs. Salami responded hastily.
‘Your level of compliance is legendary! In my former workplace, we don’t…’ well, that is story for another day. I will be making more frequent visits to this office.’ She straightened her jacket and strode out of the office.
‘We are in for it!’ one of the team members announced the moment she left their office.
‘The Emperor, the conqueror, the champion, the lion, is here…’ Mrs. Salami reeled out a popular highlife tune.
‘Nzogbu, nzogbu enyimba!’ another of the team completed in laughter.
