Thanksgiving Chronicles Day 5: He Made a Way

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Ps 37:23

Only God can turn random and aimless wanderings to a journey into fulfilment. For someone like me who likes to be planned to the minute details, God has hijacked my plans severally and turned my random wanderings into things bigger than I could comprehend.

One of my biggest worries as an undergraduate was how I would get a good job after school when we did not have connections in high places. I remember a childhood friend-Seyi Oni visiting and we were having this same conversation. Mum overheard an interrupted our chat. She said, you guys don’t have to worry about anything. We have prayed for you. In your generation, it won’t be about who you know but what you know. Just keep working hard and standing out. You will all be ok. Thanks you Ma, we said looking at each other. I honestly didn’t see much sense in it at the time.

During our service year, one of my friends stopped at my place and told me she was on her way to the cyber café to apply for 1^st Bank Graduate Trainee Programme. She knew I had always said I didn’t plan to work in a Bank but asked if I could walk her to the cyber café. I just went with her to keep company. When we got there, she said why don’t you try too. You don’t have anything to lose and they are taking people across every discipline. I reluctantly agreed and we both got started. When we got to the final page of the application form, there was a mandatory field for NYSC discharge certificate number. Without one you could not submit the application. In short we were not qualified to apply as we had not completed our service year. I told my friend let’s try a trick on this system and enter 0000000. What if it goes, she asked, and we get invited what we will say?

When we get to that bridge we will cross it, I replied. We entered 0000000 and guess what? The form submitted. We were invited to write the aptitude test. 

After the test we were told successful candidates will be invited in a few weeks’ time for interview. Once test was done, I took a week’s permission to travel to Akure to see my parents. While out there I convinced myself to stay the whole December and go back to Jos post-Christmas. I had nothing doing in Akure besides just enjoying time with my family and enjoying the festive atmosphere in town. 

One afternoon, I decided to go to the bank to withdraw some cash and then go to the cyber café to while away time. On my way out of 1^st bank, I saw a notice on the board with Interview dates and venues for candidates that did the 1^st Bank aptitude test in the Akure region. The date was that very day and the venue was the Area Office at Alagbaka Road.  I just read and thought Oh, maybe Jos region will soon announce result and interview dates then. I just walked away and headed to the cyber café. I didn’t even think to call Jos. That was how unserious I was about this banking opportunity.

The newest cybercafé in town was in Alagbaka road and I decided I was to go there because there was also an eatery right opposite it so my afternoon was pretty planned. As I walked into the Gate of the cyber café building, I looked up and saw that the 1^st Bank area office was on the top floor. Ah! That was when I thought I could go in and enquire about Jos results and interview dates. When I got to the lobby, it was filled with smartly dressed young people waiting to be interviewed. There was me in a Denim mini skirt and T shirt with a flat slippers. Of course, the security refused to let me in. While I was begging and explaining to him that I only needed information. A smartly dressed woman emerged from one of the offices which I didn’t know was the interview room. I just broke protocol, walked past the security and straight to the woman.

Gd afternoon ma, I wrote the 1^st bank aptitude test in Jos and wanted to check if the result was out as well as confirm interview dates so I can travel back. Coincidentally, she was Head of HR. She said, Jos results are out and they are interviewing today and tomorrow. Let me give them a call to see if you passed the test. She went back in and after few minutes came back to inform me that I passed the test and Jos office was happy for them to interview me in Akure. She looked me from head to toe and said, now I give you 1hr to back home and dress properly for this interview. I took a bike back home, grabbed my sisters newest skirt suit, mums shoe and hand bag and race back on the same bike. I was interviewed at 7pm and one of the questions was how i got my application through. I told the truth and the rest was history. 1 month after my youth service, I was in a banking job with no single connection! That how my career started and it has only got better and better!

God has done this for me so many times, I have lost count. When I got to UK, I interviewed for several food jobs and was always told you are qualified and we like you but you don’t have UK experience. When I eventually was to be interviewed for my first UK food job, I was not sure what to expect.  I entered into the interview room and the panel gasped loud enough that I heard. I wasn’t sure if I it was because they liked me or the opposite. The oral interview went smoothly, then it was time for the computer based test. I was presented with a mammoth excel data and asked to pull our come sub data sets and trends using some complex excel formula. They were specific they wanted me to use that excel formula and function. I have never done that formula before. In fact it was my first time hearing it. So I knew this one too was lost. They left me in the room and said they’d be back in 15 minutes. I decided since I don’t know the formula, I’d use my basic excel skills to do the task but with speed. 10 minutes into the test, one of the interview panellist came back into the room and locked the door behind her. She came closer and asked to see how I was doing. When she saw my work she asked why i wasn’t using the specified excel function. I have never used it, I replied. You cannot even begin to imagine what happened next.

She took my mouse from me, asked me to excuse her, sat down and did the task for me using the specified formula. Done! Save it. We’ll see you in 5 minutes time and she walked back out. I couldn’t believe my eyes but I still thought what could be worse than the interviewer doing the job for you. I have definitely failed this one on a big scale.

The panel came back later including the lady that had helped me, it was all goodbyes and handshakes and I left the building walking 10 minutes’ walk to the train station. As I approached the platform to enter the train, my phone rang and guess what. I got the job and the lady that had helped would be my line manager

Now tell me, how can I take credit for any of these? He is the Lord and he never shares his glory with anyone. In my life especially, he has never ever shared his glory with man. Thank you Jesus for making ways where there seemed to be no way