How The Informal Group Forced Me to Resign in The Telecommunication Industry. Storytelling for Professionals.

 

At some point in my career, I became so scared of this System. Should I call it a System or an Evil System? Some people in it were black. Black and desperate for power. Black with black magic hiding or masquerading themselves under the name of foreign religions.

I have worked in the Telecom industry for many years. The experience was like a movie. I acted very well. I was put to the test. I did everything well and I was so excited to say the career had an impact on the way I run my management and personal life.

I was forced to resign from the job. The reason wasn’t too clear to me. I choose peace over crisis. I told myself I just had to go. While I was working with this company, I found it difficult to meet up with certain needs and wants. I struggle to pay my house rent. So, what is the point of fighting this informal group? It’s just time to go. When there is life there is a job. If not, you would be shortchanged.

So many things await me in the outside world. I left my wasted years. Even though it is full of wonderful moments. I need no one to tell me not to call it wasted years. It is mine and not theirs or yours. I did so many successful projects with this firm. I changed the approach in which sales management needs to be done in a retail environment. All I could hear was Ajala, well done. And when things go wrong on the part of my team, they would blame me and I shall take it as business. Very interesting.

I started the operation of business for these guys from the onset. I raised many teams. I turned their business outlet into a profitable venture. I couldn’t even think of going for a single leave.  When it was time to go on leave, they would persuade me to hold on to assist them in seeing the completion of this project and to circulate knowledge management across the team. I love working. And I am ready to take any insult from individuals and groups that would blame me for that. I work and I work. No benefit. No pension. Nothing. These guys are nothing but a capitalist.

They believe the reward for hard work is evil. They believe when you work with them and you have known it all, the best thing is to allow you to go forcefully. Sometimes they would make allegations against you. Sometimes they would use SIM replacement to set you up. Sometimes they would pay some of their girls to walk in for transactions that are not legit. As in the case of Susan Reuben. They like doing things that are against company policy. If you can do the same; fine. But do not be caught. I am not a member of such a party. I do the right thing the first time and every time. They meant to deal with me without any concrete objective in mind. Except may the objective of them feeling intimidated.

When I join this company as a Contract staff. I was very glad to be working with professionals. Even though some of them are cunning and not straightforward. I did everything the job entails. There are many lapses in the system. Godfatherism and King Maker’s reign. And even tribalism, racism, and issues with whether you belong to a particular religion or not. Virtually everyone,e working in this company was appointed by an insider.

They get rid of their professionals. They asked some of them to go. The reason was officially internally known to them. Later they brought some young folks of semi-professionals. This set of new guys just drew their attention to my side. I don’t make noise. I don’t brag. I respect everyone. I even carry their bag if possible since African people like much respect.

The appointment of the regional manager was one of the turning points in this incident. He is the root cause of the incident. He is insecure. He doesn’t know anything about the job. His mission was just to get rid of anyone smarter or professional in the workplace. And so many rumors have been going on about me in the Telco system that I make use of the English Language like it is a biscuit. They call me Professor. They call me all kinds of good names just to flatter me. Those things don’t sink into my head. I just work.

The regional manager makes changes in the supervision of work in my outlet. A lady was removed. And Muri was appointed. I was managing the outlet. You can see that the system is not in the right order. How can a supervisor be at an edge over a manager? This is a big scam.

The idea behind their business is just to manipulate people. They have a contract and permanent staff. Even the Permanent has a clause. But mind you the real objective set for this telecom business is quite different from what they are doing at the regional office. The head office I guess is full of professionals. Common you need to come and see how professionals in the telecom industry work at their GOP. Maybe it is misleading anyway or deceptive. But I can see still count on some professionals. The way and manner they talk to you and the rest.

The new guy that was appointed was called Muri. Muri represents the informal group in the Workspace. Anyone who sees him should know that he was selected not by competency but simply by cultism. The regional manager himself is incompetent. Very incompetent. Muri would tell me not to send a mail to any Unit without him going through it first.

Muri called me to the back door. He told me “Ajala, see you are a threat to me in this job…” I said how? I said” But you are the boss. And besides you are a permanent staff and I’m just a mere contract staff” Sir I’m sorry if you feel something about me. I would do everything possible to please you in this system. I would treat you like a boss. Trust me.

In this evil system. These guys would tell a lady to have a romantic affair with them with an underpaid job. In this system, these guys would pour word of abuse on the contract staff and the contract staff would take it like that since they have no other options. The country is a mess. And I defend my staff in times of crisis. Which I think is the job of a good manager.

I told Muri Asada why are you sabotaging our team effort? Is there anyone you don’t like on my team? Why not let us call them to order? People are human. Their mental health matters. Please stop treating them badly.

I never took this informal group so seriously. They are ready to deal with me. They feel intimidated by the way I work. They give me kudos each time I make sales. My outlet makes sales very well beyond their KPI.

Getting rid of a manager in the workplace must have an internal hand. Some of the people we work with are also evil geniuses. You know as a manager you have to communicate with them regularly so that they know what is expected of them in the business. Some of our past bosses are also having some unforgettable beef or grudges. They would stab you at the back and they would claim that they are not looking. Anybody who is going shine and rise to the top, they are ready to cut him off. All in the name of work.

They are still friends and associates who know the in-depth of this story on how these informal groups ganged up against me. But they are yet to explain. But anytime I see them I see it in their body language. Even in their absence, I can see it. These guys are from Sales and Distribution. Some are also from Customer Services and some other essential workers.

I was set up by Muri and his guys in the regional office. They even confessed it. I wonder what kind of games they are playing and what they are trying to arrive at. My partner or franchise owners too cannot tell me if they are not part of this politics. Like I said office politics is something that is meant for kids. Very funny game.

I work with all might. I work for you guys even on Saturday and Sunday. I work like I have no life to live. Hatred is a very strong thing in this telecom firm. Hatred towards your colleague at work is very bad. We need to start creating a Love department there would be a win/win situation.

You guys have set me up on work-related things but it didn’t work. I don’t take things that don’t belong to me in the workplace. I don’t do runs like many of you do. I don’t do sharp practices. And things that I don’t do my staff or team would not do. Not in my lifetime in that office. They can never try it. Maybe when I leave, they can start doing that. As you can see immediately, I left your evil system many of them are doing their sharp practices. And you guys are comfortable with it. Only if they make a mistake and it’s triggered then you turn back on them. Because you have to protect your well-paid job as permanent staff or whatever level they have placed you in this job.

I was at one event at the regional office when I was called out to receive a Certificate of Recognition for Exhibiting Vital Behaviors in the Workplace. MTN Nigeria gave me some vouchers worth more than 10k with it. I used this 10k to buy things for my team. As one Security analyst said this Certificate is enough for me to be evaluated on the job.

I don’t know what these guys are seeing that I am not seeing in the Workplace. I only focus on tasks. And how I can use my Design Thinking to change the pattern of work so that the company can progress. I don’t look at office politics as a priority. I saw kids that I trained on the job who were given upgrades in a short time. Even when they cannot spell or write properly. That is not my business because it is something that has been happening since I started working with you guys.

I did several job tests that they worked against. The system preaches honesty and integrity but the staff are something else. Just imagine when one supervisor was asking me how I managed to get access to apply for an internal job. And when one lady kept asking are you, not the contract staff while I went to take a job test. What about the echo of the Human Resource partner in my mail that said although you passed that we are not going to proceed with your application authoritatively? Many of these dramas of not straightforward.

They are very scared of me. They are scared of my silence. I only make use of talk when it matters. The essence of my talk is business. I train my staff. I communicate with customers. And I think before I communicate and that makes a whole lot of difference in my job role. I was pushed out of the work with nothing. Fantastic movie.

The day those guys in Customer Relations insisted that the partner should let me leave their Workspace. I was like on what ground? No reason. Nothing. They just want me to go so that they can enjoy their micro-managing or management. I could be their boss anytime soon. They do nothing. Just to copy and paste. Receive salaries. Insult junior staff. And do eye service.

I sent a mail to the incompetent Regional Service Manager to change the supervisor that I am working with. They turned the mail upside down. They were like how could a Contract staff be dictating to them? The outsourcing or franchise company let me understand that Muritala Isa Asada is their cousin and they cannot tell him to go on my request. So, based on the meeting they had I should go by resigning. They told me to backdate my resignation letter.

They blocked my official line so that I wouldn’t have any explanation to give the investigating team or control room as regards the incident of xenophobia South Africa protest that happened at the retail outlet. The course for protest doesn’t make sense. The outlet is owned by Investors in Nigeria and not South Africa. But that is not a concern. We only need enlightenment. These guys were so excited about insurance...

The day I was asked to leave, the following day some group of hoodlums or protesters ventured into the office. They scattered office properties even the structure. My laptop, devices, and some other tools were stolen. Many things were vandalized.

This I couldn’t comprehend. Could it be Karma? Could it be what The Don in Sales and distribution had sponsored this all in the name of getting me out of the system? Because these guys can go the extra mile and do anything to just get me out of the work. I never knew that I was good at this job. This guy found me. They bring out the genius in me. Absolutely brilliant. I appreciated them much.

Because aside from using several methods to set me up. They used the daughter of a driver in the company to also set me up. This lady in question was having a dating or romantic affair with the sales and distribution guy. All in the name of what? How much are they paying me? They don’t even know if I am happy on the job. I respect the police that very day. These guys are intelligent in their job. Some of them had to tell me to leave this telecom job if I liked myself. This setup is being fueled and sponsored by the informal group in MTN Nigeria. These informal groups use souvenirs to buy the loyalty of a family.

Even customers have forewarned that I should leave this system of work. I am too big for them. I am limiting myself by staying with them. But I don’t allow all these compliments to get in my head. Because I believe in timing and direction. And when the time comes, I would shall leave the job.

There was a day some Senior managers came to visit my outlet. This informal group has to hide me. They introduced themselves as the managers and controller of the shop. But that is their way. I work and they take the glory. I don’t care. Whatever I do goes to my CV and my personality still stands perfect.

At this point in my career, I am not afraid of expressing myself. I want young professionals to learn and to grow. I write useful content. I became so glad that once upon a time in my CV I have been a successful manager. Iconic manager. I’m a Genius. I am very much in demand when it comes to Business Management and Organization.

Is it worth reporting? Many said it was worth it. But I told myself I have much to do with my life. These are cultists. They can kill for airtime money. They are desperate. I’m just having fun writing this.

But all in all, it was a very painful thing working all these years for these guys. With all the hard work and sacrifices, they did all manners of shit to me. It would have been better if they called me and paid me off to go and start my own business or whatever I felt was okay for me.  Psychologically, emotionally, and mentally I am strong. That is why you see me writing this. Life must always move on.

Why did you leave your previous job? I left my previous job simply because I am genius. Just imagine how I turn a garage into a shop. A shop into an office. Before you know I made it a conglomerate. They can never be another me. My name is a brand.

The TQM or the Quality Assurance guys are very corrupt. They are scared of the godfather in the workplace. The IT guys too I cannot trust them. They work against making my outlook not functioning each time I need to receive an important update.

Our workplace in Nigeria is becoming something else. If not checked it could generate chaos. They pride themselves on making money as their service offering is a necessity as they think to the populace. I smile. They need to understand the mystery of business management.

The story would always continue.

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