Hamzat called me one Sunday evening and asked if we could meet up at his lodge by 1pm the next day as he has something very important to discuss with me. I'm like ok no problem but can you please give me a hint on what we would be talking about?
Till you come please, I will brief you at once. Hamzat responded and I said ok, then the line went off.
I couldn't sleep that night as I kept wondering what would Hamzat want to talk to me about that could not be discussed over the phone. I kept pondering and racking my head, wondering if I had done anything wrong and if I'm in trouble. I was so lost in thought that the sleep came like a thief and stole me away.
NOTE: Hamzat was my Community development service (CDS) leader and not once has he called me for anything before, infact Hamzat will not call you unless its CDS and you are running late or you are in trouble. So you can imagine my concerns when he called and wasn't spilling.
The next morning I had woken up, got ready and reported at my place of primary assignment. I didn't even wait till the 1pm as immediately it clocked 12 noon, I called Hamzat if I could start coming and he said I could come. I immediately rounded up from the staff room and ran to Hamzat lodge, like I literally ran because his lodge is just at the other side of the road from the school I was teaching. I got to his room and knocked.. The locks opened and there stood Hamzat staring at me.
This one you are panting who is pursuing you? Hamzat asked me smiling
Nor be you? You go dey put person for suspense. Translation (Is it not you that is putting me under pressure?) I responded
Hamzat laughed and said sorry then went further to invite me in.
I got in and sat in the plastic chair just by his bed side while he sat on the edge of the bed and immediately the long awaited speech followed.
You know Ese, I will be passing out soon infact I have already passed out because we just have two months to go which is mostly for documentation purposes.
I'm like ok.. in a tone urging him to get to the part where it concerns me.
Hamzat continued: So! for that reason I'm trying to put things in place so the system can run smoothly without any alteration and that's the reason for this meeting as I want to hand over the CDS leadership to you.
I paused and there was a brief silence as all what was going through my head was, not once did I expect Hamzat would find me worthy to hand over leadership to me. I mean we do not even communicate, we rarely speak to each other unless it's to greet ourselves, how then is he finding me worthy of being a CDS Leader? It was even more surprising knowing how patriarchy the male corpers were. As if I was gone for too long, Hamzat called out my attention to bring me back to reality. So are you considering it? Hamzat asked me with a stern look.
I don't even know what to say as a response to you because I'm wondering what made you feel I am suitable to take over from you. I managed to say.
I have heard your gist Hamzat responded and that is exactly why I chose you, you will carry on my legacy well.
Me looking semi concerned because I know what I have done in corpers lodge where I reside. When you say my gist, what do you mean?
Don't worry about that Hamzat said laughing, but I know you are a no nonsense person and someone who has the ability to place people where they belong. So would you consider taking my offer? Hamzat continued.
Ok I accept your request, I said smiling.
Beautiful Hamzat said in excitement and immediately started showing me the ropes of all that it entails to be a CDS leader. Hamzat specifically told me to be brutal with attendance else the corp members in my CDS group will take advantage of me and I will be the only one attending CDS in no distant time.
I'm like say no more I got this, brutality for negligence is my forte. Then he gave me the CDS register and other files containing documentation of past CDS activities. Hamzat went further to make things easy for me at my first shot at the job, he said for our next CDS activity which was slated the following week, he has already called the school we would be going to and briefed them, so not later than 10am, all Corp members of that CDS group should assemble at the school premises so the CDS activity can commence immediately.
Ok noted I responded.
He went further to say he will put up a handover note on the CDS WhatsApp group and introduce me as the new CDS leader there I said ok that's fine.
We bid each other goodbye and just as I was about boarding a bike back to the corpers lodge where I reside, he said, don't forget the CDS activities at the school is starting by 10am, all members should be on ground before then and anyone who comes later without any tangible reason should not be allowed to put down their names.
Ok don't worry, I won't forget I said to him as i entered the bike and zoomed off.
Just as Hamzat had said, before night fall he had updated the group on his handover and introduced me as the new CDS leader and it was not a welcome development for some as they revolted.
Why the some of the guys found me unworthy to lead them since I am a woman, few of the ladies didn't want me to lead because they perceived me as a snub. I never knew minding your business and keeping to yourself could be irritating to some people but I knew that day.
After every one has aired their grievance and some their disapproval, Hamzat said his decision is final and that was the end of the discussion that day.
The day of the CDS came and as the leader wanting to lead by example, I was already there by 8am. Ihad earlier updated the group on the location and the time of the CDS activity and also included Hamzat warning that the CDS commence by 10am, everyone should endeavor to be there before then as whoever comes later will not write down their names.
Before 9:30am we were already about 70% in attendance, others who couldn't make it or was running late was calling to inform me. But then there was this particular set of corpers, the pioneers of the revolution over my appointment as the new CDS leader. They were serving and residing in the school opposite where we would be having the CDS, it was almost 10am and they were still not in attendance.
By 10am I updated the group again that the CDS has started and we are holding the fort down for the rest people who aren't here yet and if for any reason they can't make it for the CDS, they should inform me early enough. There was no response as everyone was already on ground aside this set of corpers residing at the opposite school.
We commenced our CDS and after rounding up, I updated the group that we have concluded the CDS. As a bait, I included attendance has been collated and sent to the Local Government Inspector (LGI) via WhatsApp so anyone not in attendance will have to answer to the LGI.
Attendance list was currently being filled as we just rounded up and I have not submitted it yet to the LGI via WhatsApp but I wanted to know if the corpers residing opposite the school purposely didn't attend because they do not approve of my leadership position or they got tied up with their own activites at their Place of primary assignment. Which ever, if they showed up sooner than expected that means they purposely didn't come to spite me.
Not up to 5mins I updated the group, they came running down and wanted to write their names, I refused.
I'm like you can't sit at the comfort of your lodge and expect to write down your names for an activity you did not take part in. I collected the attendance sheet preventing them from writing and there was commotion.
I walked outside of the school premises to my lodge as we were already done and it's not even far from my own lodge. These sets of corpers ran after me and one of them even threatened to hit me asking who do I think I am? parading myself like I'm better than everyone else.
I didn't utter a word I just kept walking while they were restricting the guy from trying to hit me. my own is, anything that will make him hit me even if is by mistake one person will land in intensive care unit (ICU) and it will not be me. The only girl amongst them walked up to me and said I will not last in this position if I continue like this and they will see to it, I told her, do your worse but you see this attendance list? you and your hoodlums shall not write. That word pained them and because I didn't want to hear anymore of their nonsense, I stopped a bike for a very short distance and left them.
That evening Hamzat called and asked we meet up at the front of my lodge. I got dressed and went out to see him. We greeted and the next thing he said was, one of the ability of a good leader is flexibility, you are not a good leader Ese that's why I'm sorry I have to take away the leadership position from you.
Knowing what has happened, I'm like wow! you didn't even bother to hear my own side, how I was almost beaten up for doing as you instructed, you come here taking sides and telling me I am not a good leader? He said, I dont need to hear anyone's side I saw what you wrote on the WhatsApp group and how you threatened them with the LGI that is you crossing the line Ese.
In my mind, shebi this guy said I should be brutal? and he's picking me to lead because I am a no nonsense person? what kind of playing is this? well I was already fed up with the whole conversation and asked him to give me a moment. I went inside, packed all the files and CDS documents he gave me and returned them to him. He collected them and said hope you know this doesn't make us enemies? I was already at my door post as I didn't want to engage him any further less I'd say things that he will find offensive.
That night as I laid on my bed, I was sad that I got impeached for doing what I thought was the right thing to do and based on the instructions I was given.
I realized that good leadership is going to be quit difficult in this part of this world because if in a small CDS group they revolted against me for actions I took against their gross misconduct how much more a country? Well doing the right thing has never been easy
Thank you for taking out time to read me, i await your opinions on the prompt by hive Naija on what it entails to be a leader. For me, I didn't have it easy at all, I mean i did not even last another month being a leader lol and even if Hamzat hadn't have impeached me I would have resigned as there was no way I could adapt to such misconduct from the CDS members.