You see this corruption something ehn? I doubt if it will ever end in Nigeria. 
Now, my organisation has put me on a crazy target. A target that must be met before the year ends. 
The reason for this crazy target is not far-fetched. We collected a loan from the UK to implement our project, and this has been complicated with the current exchange rate. Also, we need to quickly make sales to enable us to move on to other projects for the organisation to keep running.
In other to meet my target, I had to send proposals directly to all the Honourable ministers in Nigeria, DG’s of parastatals and agencies and the Commandants of the existing Para-military agencies, reason being that most of the civil servants and public officers working within and around the FCT needs what we are offering.
It is expected that the moment the respective ministers get my proposals, they will then minute it to the respective persons whose responsibility it is to take immediate action, and this is exactly what they did.
Within a short period of time, I had started to receive calls from the offices of these ministers, letting me know that my proposal has gotten to their desk and how we need to proceed as soon as possible.
Of all the calls, the most interesting one that I received was from a top-ranking person in government whom my proposal was minuted to. 
When he confirmed I was the one on the other end of the line, he told me that he needed to have a private meeting with me immediately to discuss the proposal and the need for us to act immediately.
Though he called at about 11:00am on a Friday morning, he asked that we hold the meeting at one of the ‘joints’ hidden somewhere in the FCT as what we needed to discuss is a serious matter which cannot be discussed on phone.
Since it’s against the policy of my organisation never to attend meetings alone, I told him I was coming along with another management staff, to which he eventually agreed to. 
After the introductions, the high-ranking officer went straight to the point. He clearly told me the reason for this private meeting is because he needed to find out from me what percentage I would give to him if the deal pulls through. He said there are several proposals of my type sitting on his desk that he has refused to act on, simply because those who sent in the proposal has refused to ‘play ball’.
Even when I told him that it was against my organisation’s policy to give or collect anything in the form of gratification, asides the commission on sales which will go to him should the deal eventually pull through, he told me outrightly that I wasn’t ready to do business as ‘greasing’ his palm is something I cannot escape if he would allow my proposal to fly.
He said even if I write directly to Buhari, the proposal will find eventually find its way back to his desk, as he was the one in charge of the unit that I was interested in.
He said he is very aware that the staff members of his organisation are in dire need of what I am offering as many of them are close to retirement, but he said it’s none of his business, and that until I’m ready to play ball by greasing his palm, my proposal was dead on arrival. I must drop ‘something’ for him and his ‘boys.’ This conversation took place one month ago. 
When I called him this morning for a follow-up, he still maintained his stance. He said until my organisation decides to give him something, my proposal will never see the light of the day.
Meanwhile, the National Head of his organisation has asked him to act on the proposal as a matter of urgency, his greed hasn’t allowed it to fly.
Now, I’m wondering, why will this person decide to kill a proposal that benefit several persons within his organisation?
Why?
Just as I was about to wrap up this piece, I received a call from the office of another minister. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, your guess is as good as mine.

Written by John Olugbemi.