RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY- The tales of my 9-year career journey.

By Philip Tanko – Nigeria

My career started on 21^st February 2011 when I was hired as HR Officer with GAS Contracting Company, a construction company based in Nigeria with the salary grade of an intermediate staff of $134 dollars per month.

My initial thought was that my pay would change upon the expiry of my probation period. I have been waiting patiently for nine years with no increment. My first work! My first salary! Nine years of hopefulness! In addition, I multi-tasked from day one.

 My position was HR Officer but I had varied roles that included administration, logistics, procurement, accounting, and transport. This never worried me because I believed in being loyal to the masters and hopeful that soon with my in-depth of understanding the organization coupled with various roles across the departments I will soon join the C-Suite with greater pay and incomparable status.

 Learning and relearning was my motivation. I enjoyed my work and over the years, I won the confidence of my Managing Director (MD) and the Executive Director(ED). I was very loyal and I could work extra, exceed the expectations and extend my loyalty to perform roles that are not work related. I was more than a family member. Indeed when you become loyal to your master, you change from being a servant to a brother without pay.

For the period, I worked with GAS Contracting Company I have never stopped to request for salary review. As HR professional, I had all the tools and methodologies for salary review but I lacked the authority for implementation. My heart was willing for the review but my master could not understand my heart. My frequent request letters for review remained in the drawers of by boss. More talks with less actions and I never got tired to work indeed the more I requested for upward pay review the more I got energized to work hoping that soon my MD will have a listening ear.

It was not only the salary issues but I have never enjoyed my annual leave. When colleagues and friends talk of vacations, I usually talk of work. Working all through without leave allowance or payment of leave in lieu. All my leave applications was turned down with a simple response “who will do your work” I was a jack of all trade summarily. The leave policy stated that ‘if any employee is not able to go on annual leave due to the nature of their responsibilities he/she is eligible for accrued leave days’ pay and leave allowance’. This never happened but I continued to be loyal.

All employment goodies turned opposite with no trainings, no performance review, late payments of salaries, no promotions, and no demotions. Things remain constant  and in arrears while my needs increased daily that included increase of rent, family needs (a wife and three children), extended family members expectations, embarrassments after embarrassments, societal roles, satisfying friends expectations among more. 

Balancing my work, my expectations, family needs and external expectations was a great challenge and more stressful.  I was not able to cater for my needs appropriately. Despite of all these challenges I remained loyal and dedicated to all my assignments.

The company performance started to decline and we had to lay off some of our employees. The situation worsened after we lost some of our key contracts and we remained three in the company. The HR, Accountant and I.  I had to juggle all the junior roles as the office clerk, tea girl, driver, attending to visitors and all the little things that mattered in an office just to keep the office functional. The situation continued like this for one year without pay but we were still loyal and hopeful.

In 2013, the company signed some contracts and we started seeing some rays of success. The pending salaries were paid; we settled some suppliers’ bills and paid part of the bank loan. Upon settling some of the bills, we were back to our dark days of no salaries within six months. The renewed dark days lasted for about 3 years before one of my MD’s acquaintances came to our rescue. At least we smiled shortly in the year 2016.

I tendered my resignation letter in 2017 and I was ready to serve my notice period. My resignation was rejected and again I pledged my loyalty to my master. I plotted on how I could get my money and I arranged with a barrister to help push for my pay. The barrister used to send some letters that were much fruitful. He would call me, threatened me with court orders of eviction and I used to appear stressful.

These actions touched my MD’s heart and he was in a position to source for money and pay me. I was in a position to survive. I could now pay my house rent and my embarrassments reduced. This plot against my employer was not my wish but the situation forced me devise survival tactics. I was still loyal to my master while my problems continued to be disloyal to me.

My second resignation letter in 2018 seemed to be a do or die for me. The MD received my letter and acknowledged the receipt. I served my notice diligently hopeful that soon God will open an opportunity for me. On my last day at GAS contracting company, the MD invited me in his office. We had a lengthy talk and indeed, I did not leave the company.

The talks from my MD seemed to be attracting and promising with great hope on big contracts looming ahead. This time he promised me salary review once the business contracts are signed. Guess what! Another session of drought in the office all through the year. No salary review, no leave and no healthy contracts signed. My loyalty remained constant just as the prevailing condition.

I was now much confused than before but I was hopeful and I believed the future is full of potential. My caring and submissive wife madam Omotayo stood with me and my children were key motivator in my life. Their support and love prevented me from moving to the village or streets to become corporate beggar.

My condition started to worsen as I felt demotivated and bore with my job. I had no place to tell my story apart from sharing it with my wife and children. I had an inner thought and these issues and questions rang into my mind. Who am I? What do you want in life?  Am I honest with myself? How can I be the best employee without pay and how can I be the best employer to cater for my workers needs? I learnt that life needs time, I need to forgive myself and others, I have to learn to self-reflect, I need to ask for help, I need to develop my skills, I need to be compassionate with self, I need to practice self-care and I need to find something to relax.

The urge to find something to relax and to heal myself from the frustrations led to weekend volunteer job with an NGO that was started by a friend in 2019. The Oasis Youth Initiative. I took up the weekend volunteer as Admin/HR officer (side hustle) to set up the place, recruit volunteer coaches and mentors. I did not resign from the GAS contracting company but continued to balance my volunteer work and the paid work that by that time was on salary arrears accruing to over 12 months. I rearranged my work and I took the volunteer work from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. then I proceeded to GAS contracting company at 10:30 a.m. My reporting time was uncalled for, but the boss had to bear with me. I needed to relax, heal and enjoy my profession.    

At OasisYouth Initiative, I have started to enjoy the great fruits of my profession. I am enjoying the volunteer work to date. I have recruited 21 coaches. We conducted TOTs training for the coaches where we have competent coaches on Positive Youth Development (PYD), 5Cs+1 modules, singing to the Lion, and Youth and Sexuality. We have also recruited 60 children to benefit from the knowledge of the coaches.

Our major focus is on developing the children life skills and prepare them for the future, creating a safe space for them to grow and become meaningful adults in their communities. I have found happiness in working with the children and the team of volunteers.

Within 9 months, I graduated the maiden set for the Oneclub project in November 2019. This was a great achievement for me. We were looking forward to start Oasis Life Academy in March 2020 but we had to suspend this plan due to Covid 19 pandemic.

My love for children and volunteering work has led to a virtual class that I conduct on Facing the Giant – Emotional literacy. The new conditions and Covid-19 protocols does not allow us to behave normally but I find myself comfortable healed due to my experience from the GAS contracting company. I am still an employee of GAS Contracting Company and a volunteer with Oasis Youth Initiative.

There are things that I have learnt from my 9 years work experience that is reshaping my career:

• Employers needs to listen to their employees
• Businesspersons need financial literacy training.
• Businesses needs to operate within a budget and accept their situation. Do not brand yourself as large organization while you are still upcoming.
• You can survive all through the situation just focus on your ambitions.
• Learn to understand your bosses and create a working relationship with them
• All employees needs healing and brain relaxation.
• Engage yourself in things that utilizes your potential and make you happy.
• Value your family. Your wife and children will always be with you. Grow with them.
• There is still possibilities and the future is full of potential.
• Learn to share your experiences and network professionally.

Conclusion:

I love to work and develop my HR profession. I believe in honesty to my master and in teams. I want to transform my community and my organization. Challenges will not stop me to serve my people and boss. The Spirit of Humanity in Human Resources is still alive and kicking in me.

About the Author:

Philip Tanko is professional HR practitioner from Nigeria. He works with GAS Contacting Company and a volunteer at The Oasis Youth Initiative – NGO in Nigeria that trains young children on basic life skills and prepares the youths for future by creating a safe space for them to grow and become meaningful adults in their community. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with Bachelor of Science – Geography coupled with various trainings in Management and Humanitarian support. He is mainly interested in HR Management, Public Speaking, Mentoring and Business Analysis. Tanko has contributed much within Africa on various Human Resource Management and Humanitarian Services Support topics. He is always ambitious and one of the most rated loyal employees in Africa. He champions for the humanity in human resources practices.