Being a public servant is one thing I never imagined myself being a part of, but as the years unfold, we come to realise that God, He is Who orders our steps and knows the path in which we go.

So I would try to capture some of my experiences therefrom…in snippets

My phone beeps and I pick

Caller “Madam How naau?”

Me “My Oga, I dey o. Wetin dey happen?”

Caller “You no go take me out for lunch?”

Me “If you wan give me lunch who I be to refuse?” (And in my head I am wondering what he was up his sleeves)

Caller “Name any place of your choice and I will take you”

Me “Okay, let me check my schedule & revert”

Call dropped…so what is this about now. What does he want to do? Hmmm…I will meet with him but at a busy place and I must get there ahead of him so I could survey and be sure no harm would come to  me…

I call him back…and specify place and time. I get my team and arrive ahead of the agreed time, then take a seat that allows me clear view of all activities…my dears, may you not find yourself working among people you perceive can harm you.

He arrives on schedule and we sit down to lunch…

Me “Na waoh. The one wey you take me out for lunch so. Na waoh.!”

Date “Wetin be na wa? But I am surprised you agreed to come though”

Me “Why not? Aren’t we friends? Wetin dey there?

Date ” I must say, I have a lot of respect for you. You command so much respect. You know your salt”

Me “Me? Aah, many thanks o. Why do you say that? You that hate me like anything?

Date “Not so naau…why?”

Me “Do you know that it was because of you that I beefed up my security and increased the number of armed personnel that accompany me? You made me believe you are capable of killing me and I still don’t know why you did that”

Date “No o. Not so. You did not understand me. It was people that were trying to cause problems. But you know one thing I observed? In all these years, despite all I did, you never one day disrespected me. I can never understand that nor can I forget it”

I smiled.

Date “You know, all the mines we set for you, we don’t know how you managed to escape all. Not even one”

I smiled.

Me “Mines ke? And I didn’t know o. Na God dey keep me and all I came to that office for was to be used by God to work for my State”

Date “Madam you will always have my respect. Thats why I asked for this lunch date because I needed to tell you this…”

What can I say? He that watches over me, neither sleeps nor slumbers!