The HR Bootcamp Story (Part 3)

by | Nov 16, 2023 | career | 0 comments

Read Part 2 Here

I knew I should sleep but the anxiety got the better of me.

I stayed up. Set my phone alarm, just incase I dozed off. I still kept waking up all through the night to check the time.

At about 6am, I headed to the bathroom.

My laptop was on the other side of the bed, still connected to the Internet.

I heard the familiar Skype ring tone and it was Michael. Michael was my pretend boyfriend. We had started chatting on September 24th after a team building gig I had organised for Guiness’ 250 years anniversary. I came home exhausted and was winding down to sleep. For some strange reason, I decided to check my Facebook account. As expected, at past 10pm, most people were offline.

I noticed that Michael was still online. He was one of the many people that had friended me after a viral article I had written earlier in the year titled, ‘She’s just not that into you.’ I observed he had commented on some of my Facebook posts. Like when I announced my arrival in Abuja on one of my posts, he would comment, ‘Welcome.’

On that September night, I decided to say hello to this Facebook stranger via messenger. As the conversation ensued, I wondered why I had even bothered, because half way through it, I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning to see his many unanswered chats. Even the few responses I gave had been very curt and uninterested. I apologised the next day via chat and explained to him that I was very tired.

I assumed he lived in Abuja and was surprised to find out he had just relocated from Abuja to Ireland and was pursuing a masters degree in Telecoms and Computing. From no where, I asked him if he had a girlfriend, he said no. I asked if he was ok pretending to be my boyfriend as I wasn’t interested in relationships but wouldn’t mind referring to some random guy in Ireland as my boyfriend. He said he was fine with it. I could tell he thought I was crazy but honestly, I couldn’t care less at the time. I was so done with relationships.

I thought I was crazy asking him to be my pretend boyfriend, but this same Michael after 2 weeks told me he had something important to tell me. As I waited to hear it, I got a shocker. He told me that he loved me. It was then I knew that crazy had levels. I encouraged him to examine himself well. ‘How do you love someone you only started chatting with 2 weeks ago?’ I asked him. I had never seen him and neither had I chatted ‘lovey talk’ with him. He replied that he had told me his mind. I responded that I had heard his mind. Anyway, that was how our drama started. We continued our game. Afterall, two can play.

So, Michael had called that morning. He said we should pray. Hian! Pray? Anyway, we did. We prayed for the success of the HR Bootcamp Seminar.

Then, I got dressed, dashed on some make-up, got into my car and headed to the venue.

On getting to the venue, Lanre was already there. He had set up the registrations table. A few people were already in the hall. He had taken their attendance.

I had brought the printed agenda with me and placed them in blue, plastic pouch files. One for every attendee.

Lola, arrived early and it wasn’t long before the hall was pretty full.

The programme started as scheduled. A little glitch with the refreshments arriving late, but that was quickly sorted.

It was a mixed crowd, some younger, some older, some already in careers in HR and some intending to transit to HR.


The speakers were engaging, the audience was delighted. Lots of questions followed from the audience. We gave as much value as we possibly could.

At about 1.30pm, we began to wrap up the programme.

I announced the launch of the 3 day HR Bootcamp training programme which would hold in the new year, January 2010. A few people signed up there and then. From the look of things, it appeared Kendor Consulting was now in business.

I gave the vote of thanks to all who made the programme a success. They were too many to mention. I remain forever indebted.

I was exhausted.

I went home.

Then upstairs to my bedroom.

I called Michael.

‘We give God all the glory’, he said.

I slept off.

The HR Bootcamp Seminar had come to pass on December 5, 2009.

Continue reading Part 4 here

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