One thing about us as humans is the fact that we are always chasing a change; we always want better. We want to leave the tight spot we are in for a spot where we are more free and have a better allowance to do as we want, but like we all know, life doesn't always give us what we want. There are times when we want oranges and life gives us lemons, and times when we want lemons and it gives us oranges; we don't choose.
There are decisions we make for the betterment of our lives, but they end up hurting us way more than even decisions we knew were bad from the start. There are decisions we made, thinking they were best, but instead of an upliftment, they dragged us down. Offia, as a civilian working with a Chinese company, felt the need to join the army and make more money from it.
"I will be quitting this job soon," Offia said to his friend Onuka.
"What are your plans? Or your reason for quitting a job that the pay is not so bad for?" Onuka asked.
"Well, I heard the army pays better, and also, after my years of service, I will be entitled to a pension," Offia responded.
"What about you quitting here, and then you don't get shortlisted for the army?" William, another friend who was listening to the conversation, asked.
"I will try again until I am shortlisted; with the army, I am sure of a gratuity and a pension, but this company can close down whenever, and then I will become jobless, and probably by then I will have a family and more mouths to feed," Offia responded.
"What then makes you so sure of the army pay? What makes you think it is the amount people claim they are being paid that they are actually being paid?" Onuka asked.
"It is from a reliable source; we are not getting any younger; we have to start making plans for the future, and these plans will not be just for us but also for the family we will start," Offia responded.
"As much as you have made joining the army sound so enticing, I think a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush, oo," William said as he tried to discourage Offia from leaving a job they already had in search of something he was not sure of.
"You can go ahead and join; I will think about joining too when you have confirmed all these," Onuka said teasingly.
"You are looking for a lab rat to experiment on? Crazy fellow," Offia said as he stared at Onuka.
William and Onuka did all they could to stop Offia from leaving a job they had been working at for years in search of another one he was not sure of, but Offia felt the job he was in search of had better opportunities to offer him than their current job, and he did not listen to them or let them discourage him; his mind was made up, and they had to let him go and see for himself.
"I have been shortlisted for the army, guys," Offia celebrated after seeing his name on the notice board.
"Congratulations," Onuka and William chorused.
"You are really leaving," William said with a sad face.
"I am sorry, guys, but I have to go," Offia responded as they group hugged.
Offia left for training that lasted a year and after that was fully a member of the Nigerian military and was now a part of the system and did not need anyone to tell him; rather, he would have to experience everything himself. He came to realize that his former job paid 700 naira back then in 1987, while joining the army made him entitled to a salary of 300 naira, which is about 400 naira short of what his previous workplace paid. The decision heade thinking it was for the best and would somehow benefit him and the family he will sart in the future only dragged him into earning lwee than he was actually earning and did not in anyway better his life.
"Oboi, I have gone from frying pan to fire, oo," Offia said as he traveled to visit his friends after training.
"What happened? I thought you said you had a reliable source," William asked.
"My brother, the army pays less, oo; the only advantage is the pension after service. Aside from that, I prefer being here where it pays higher," Offia responded while having mixed emotions.
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