Session 1 Episode 4: LITTLE BEGINNINGS
The Grey Wing , a stark black inscription stood like neon light at night on its synthetic tile roof, a literal and symbolic connotation of the firm. It shared the same neighbourhood with the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Campbell Street, Lagos Island, only about a hundred metres adjacent from it. The twin building with a distinct grey and ash exterior stretched on a landscape of about 4000 metres square, the first wing the law firm with its large training room, the other an art gallery with a food court (that kept the foot traffic growing by the day), each maintaining its distinctiveness on 1500 metres portion of the entire space like the Berlin wall.
Adebowale Johnson Ayeni had a strong penchant for spaces, perhaps he never recovered from the large farmland which he worked on as a lad in Isokan. His childhood friends often referred to him as omo oko lati Isokan translates to the bush boy from Isokan, a town in Osun state. He combined his love for farming with rabbit hunt so well that he ended up being a serial entrepreneur as an adult.
He fondly referred to his business partner Bayonle Akinsanya as Ogbeni (means person in Yoruba), a childhood friend more like a foster brother from his secondary school days. In fact their friendship was orchestrated by pure luck!
Bayonle, Babafemi’ Akinsanya’s younger brother was his father’s favorite, he’d volunteer to help their father after school at the abattoir. His favorite destination was Isokan, where bush meat was sold in little disintegrated shack stalls crammed like busy hives. He loved watching his father’s workers roast and package bush meat in large quantities for foreign tourists and Lagosians who visited Oranmiyan Staff, the National Museum and the Ooni’s Palace in Ile Ife, Osun state. It was during the visits to Isokan that his father, Layi Akinsanya, met Bowale. His free-spiritedness was not only infectious his agility to run errands made his father take especial interest in him.
One fateful day, Layi travelled down to Isokan without Bayonle because he had been involved in an altercation in school which plummeted into a fight. Layi had always warned his boys about physical fights, unfortunately Bayonle was a very reactive little boy and could hardly stay away from fights, so he decided to punish him by leaving him behind.
Where’s my friend Bowale asked as his father stepped out of his van
You speak English!
Yes sir, then it occurred to him that he hadn’t greeted him. Ekasan sir (which means good afternoon sir).
Come here my boy! He said
Would you like to go to school?
Yes sir! With his curious eyes widening at the proposition.
That means you don’t have to hunt anymore! And just like that, luck turned on him. His widowed mother didn’t dare refute the proposal, how could she, when her first son was to bring luck to the family of seven!
Adebowale Johnson Ayeni never forgot his little beginnings, probably that was why he looked beyond Frank Odogwu charred suit when he walked in for the interview three years ago.
That Monday, he was looking forward to sealing the Public Private Partnership (PPP) deal for the concession of one of the six Lagos hydro dam on behalf of BON CONSTRUCTIONS PLC, located in Ilesa. The Federal Government was concluding plans to concession six hydro dams to private operators under the build, operate and transfer initiative while contemplating 15 markets in Ariara, Sabon Gari and Sura market in Aba.
Mr. Jeff Harrison, the Managing Director of BON CONSTRUCTIONS PLC had contacted him after reading several of his articles in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Journal. He had been a staunch advocate of renewable and low carbon energy. Apart from the fact that 85% of the nation’s current component of grid power comprised gas-fired power, the south west states (Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti and Osun ) had the potential to generate at least 35% of Nigeria’s grid power with its enormous water mass. Besides, Nigeria, being a signatory to the Paris Pact is expected to fulfill its obligation to produce 30% component of renewable energy by 2030.
When Mr. Harrison reached out to him in 2016, it was a huge respite, his work was not just an academic compilation he thought, perhaps the merger with BECKROFT PARTNERS was slowly becoming a reality. It was time for him to expand, it was a nagging inclination, GREY WING was due for this feat, he only had to worry about retaining the name.
The Big Break is here! He said out loud, until Frank interrupted his day dream on Friday before the office meeting.
He had requested for a N200,000 loan to pay his rent!
It was time for him to lay him off, he needed to re-strategise and had hired a brand consultant. He thought about retaining Victor and Veronica and probably Naomi Etimi if she showed interest in dispute resolution. They had international degrees except for Veronica who bagged a masters’ degree from Lagos Business School. He would watch Tolani Balogun closely, at least she graduated from University of Lagos, fair enough he muttered.
Please see the accountant he said to Frank, I have approved your loan.
I’m very grateful sir
He felt peeved about the recurrent loan and dingy looking two bedroom apartment in Ijesha and even more peeved that nothing much had changed about Frank since he joined the firm.
Just after the conversation he looked at his wall hanging “LITTLE BEGINNINGS”, this time it looked more like a message than an art portrait.