Dan Okwiri
Penningmy journal. Many in employment do not take their work seriously. Their swim is, contribute little but expect much. A contrarian dichotomy of absurd.
Kenyans talk of unemployment, but once given work unwilling to do it. In Africa we have very few passionate employees. Many are looking at the fastest way of ripping off their employer, it’s a cat & mouse game in blame.
Doing business in Africa is an uphill due to poor ethic, the sole reason sinking businesses is employees. Our productivity is low, our bickering soars the skies, this is why we rut & fart 3rd world. We think when we bring companies down it will never affect us, now give this a thought.
There was a bloke known as Kamau who worked 30 years in a construction company for an aging billionaire big cheese known as Otieno. Kamau for the most part of his career hard working & diligent, a rare trait in Africa. Generally, he supervised his boss’s projects meticulously & always delivered in time, quintessential quality with minimum waste.
One day Otieno said to Kamau, in fickle finger of fate.
“My faithful worker you have worked for me reasonably well & am grateful. Am getting old now. Have decided to pay you all your terminal benefits. Meanwhile have one last project in Embakasi before closing the company. Someone gave me a job to build him a rental flat of 6 units and I want to assign you the task.”
With that Otieno gave Kamau the requisite tools & materials to do the job.
Kamau all along a faithful worker was shocked & irate as a wet hen that he would soon be out of a job. Judas kiss, in selfish he thought to himself he no longer needed his big cheese. He had been paid all his benefits anyway, so he didn’t really give his 2 cents to this last project.
Peeing in his own bedroom, despite being a great artisan, Kamau did the shoddiest & grubbiest job of his career & rained it with disdain. On the sly he pilfered & sold most of the material & sold it out for a song in fly. It was his final blotchy gift in sweet revenge to his big cheese for terminating his services.
Stoically, after 4 months Kamau handed over the shabby & inhabitable flat to his big cheese in indifference. He felt nothing.
Otieno his boss was aghast in disappointment, paying his servant in his own coin. He pensively said, et tu, Brute!
“My diligent servant. Kamau you have shocked me. I know the quality of the work of your hands. It is a pity that after working so well for me for decades & contributing immensely to growth of my company we have to end in acrimony. I know it’s cause you think you no longer need me.
Now my servant, to pull the rabbit from the hat, I was actually building this flat as an extra appreciation to you for your exemplary service. You have done a poor job & it already has cracking walls before occupation. You have to live with that …..Brouhaha!”
On the carpet red as a beet, Kamau teared sea in sob, his fickle fortune gone in pop. How foolish of him? In fridge made an ass of himself, he had rained on his own final parade and burnt his bridge crossing final ridge.
Last straw, to nail his coffin Otieno infuriated handed him the title of his flat, giving him a taste of his own final medicine. No love lost between them, and now knowing his Kamau’s true soul parted ways with him forever. A great ride for a fall, & sad end to a great illustrious career.
Gone to rack & ruin, the flat could not attract tenants & after 5 years it was demolished.
With milk of human kindness, here is Wuod Baba’s take. Whatever we do, whether it is for yourself or others, do it to your best, for within the work of your hands is your blessings.
#okwirimy journal, my thoughts, my walk…
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