MY TALE, MY MIRACLE

HOW A SEXUAL HARRASSMENT AT A JOB INTERVIEW BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN ME

The search for a job in my part of the world... well might not be like yours, but an average Nigerian can guess where I'm headed, simply put it is plain difficult and frustrating... I was tired of staying at home, I wanted to feel productive, working  for my uncle at his security firm wasn't cutting it, it didn't feel like what I wanted to do with my life. Selling security gadgets wasn't what I wanted, I wanted more, I wanted the media job, yes that's what I wanted. So on this early Saturday morning, I reached out to a church member who works with one of the media houses for a favour and she gave me an information that a new T.V station just came into Abuja and they recruited the previous week but I can still try my luck by going there to apply.

With so much hunger for a media job, I traced the office that same Saturday. I arrived the office with an open mind and if I wasn't taken, well I'll lick my wounds and go home. While waiting on the manager of the station, I noticed a man praying the rosary, in my mind I thought "Amarachi you better meet this man and explain to him why you are here, since he is Catholic, I'll appeal to him as a fellow Catholic and hope he helps me if he can at least" when you are Nigerian, my dear you will learn to pull your naija card when the time is needed. After praying, the man greeted me properly, I thought again "he is friendly, thank God oh!" or maybe it was the finger rosary he saw on my index finger, whatever it was to my stars I was grateful. I narrated to him how I got the info about the recruitment and he said the same thing which was "the recruitment process was ended but since I'm here I should just hold on for the manager. This opened room for a conversation and we started talking, we found out we are of the same tribe, oh! another naija card to use in case the denomination card didn't work....

An hour later two men walked in, one a bit older than the other, in his late 50's, they both walked in and the man I was conversing with walked in with them and few seconds after the manager walked out, I'll call him Mr C. Mr C walked towards me and that was when I knew he was the one I have been waiting for, after the introductions, I was happy, I thought again " the manager, this friendly, thank God ohh!" he asked all the necessary questions, asked for a copy of my C.V and after going through it, I could see he was impressed. He was very straight with me which I appreciated by telling me the recruitment was ended but he likes my C.V and my aura appealed to him. I was happy but the way he was touchy, I became confused, i felt he was too comfortable. You know that thing you do when your boss touches you unprofessionally and you can't shout at him because he is your boss, 1. you need the job, 2. he is your boss, he can fire you if he likes or make life miserable. I calmed down because I needed a job, he finally thought to himself and then said that he could accept me as a freelance staff but they don't pay so it meant I had to rely on tips here and there. hmmm...

Boy did I think about it, I can start out as a freelance and gradually creep into the office plus it isn't far from the house so the transport wasn't a big deal, I really considered the job. Mr C offered to show me to his newsroom, he called me Agnes, in his words he said "Agnes you are really lucky to be in my newsroom" I wondered wow ok, he introduced me to his staffs, he was a really friendly man but disciplined in the newsroom, I noticed from the hours I spent in "his newsroom". We later went to the roof top of the building he said that was were they recorded one of the station's programmes. In fact he made me do a stand up intro of any programme I wanted, and I did, he seemed good with it. He became really touchy and tried to hug me and I was freaked at that point but was trying so hard to control myself, the height was when he tried to kiss me and I knew I was finished. Oh! my I was disappointed but I hide that emotions too, I poliety pushed him away and told him I'd like to go downstairs but he drew me closer and I thought "  EWO!! please don't force yourself on me" but to my surprise he didn't, he drew me close to express his emotions and I was just confused at that point "it's still that saturday, it's barely four hours we have known each other, get away from me please" my mind wondered.

We went back downstairs, he asked if I would love to work on a story with one of the reporters, I accepted the offer. After the report, I asked to take my leave and he offered to see me off. On reaching the elevator he asked if he will see me on monday at work and I said I'll need some time to think about it (the same me that hungered for this job?) and concentrate on my exams and he said that was fine, Mr C said i can start after my exams, the elevator door opened and  he tried to hug me again and then tried to smooch my ass, hmm! at that point, I wasn't sure of how I felt, the emotions ranged from frustration to disappointment to anger and so on, I just wanted to be out of there as fast as I could and I knew deep down that was the last time I'll be in that office but my mind wasn't fully made after all I needed a job. 

I got home and told my mum what happened, I could see the disappointment on her face, but then told me, that is how the career life is, some people there to frustrate you and take advantage of you. She said there was always a way to handle men like that but I could take the offer of a job and then with time become a full staff if I want to, it's not like he was going to force me to do what I didn't want to do, but I knew that was the end. That night I thought and prayed about my experience and the next morning I woke up a different me. That experience made me come out of my comfort zone to think of other things I could do with my life.

I had the skills so what was my problem? I wanted the office job, I wanted a comfortable monthly salary, I wanted it comfy. But life had other plans for me. I knew I needed a job but I also knew I couldn't sell my soul for something like that, I knew I had greatness in me, I just had to figure it out and that day I told myself I wasn't going to rely on any office job, whether it comes or not, I will to survive. When I started private tutoring kids and adults speech training, I didn't really value the job and I guess that's why it was slow for me, but as I started appreciating it more, I began to expand and now I have more clients  than I can handle. I'm not saying it is always rosy because some months are better than the other. In fact out of curiosity, I asked a friend that worked in an office what she earned and I compared it to mine, I almost slapped myself. 

The truth is most of us never know the power that lies within us, for some we shall find it without much fuss but for others the story changes. I refused to let myself succum, I refused to let that be my fate, I refused to be that person and this is because I knew who I was and what I want. I tell men to be more afraid of a woman that knows what she wants than one that isn't really sure.

I never regret the day I met Mr C in fact I bless that day because it brought out the fighter in me. God does work in mysterious ways and to Him I am ever grateful for putting me in a situation like that. My God is faithful....

I HOPE MY TALE INSPIRES YOU IN MORE WAYS THAN NONE. 
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