A Stint at Barclays Bank Adorned in my well-starched, well-ironed white shirt and black trousers, I waited patiently in the foyer of Barclays Bank for my turn to be interviewed for the position of Accounts Clerk. There were many other people waiting to be interviewed for the same role, so I felt pretty nervous. I had finished secondary school and had seen the advertisement for an opening in Barclays Bank, Ijebu Ode. Having studied Accounting in secondary school, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I was sure that I would be most suited for the role. It was a very good interview, and I ended up landing the job. Black Boy in Britain After a few years of working with Barclays Bank, an opportunity arose for a scholarship to further my studies in Britain. I applied for it and was blessed to win it. The night before I left Ijebu, I finished up my packing, locked up my suitcase, and then sat for a while in the compound to listen to everyone trying to give me some pieces of advice. It was an extremely exciting time for our family. What a big achievement it was. My parents proudly looked on as friends and neighbours who either had been to or had relatives who had been to tell me what to expect in 1950s Britain. They did not want me to arrive there acting all ‘bush.’ In fact, some of these visitors had the funniest stories about Africans who had arrived in Europe for the first time, ‘acting all green’; stories about Africans who slurped their tea or dipped their bread in it, people who had been shocked at the sizes of the teacups, or even that salad was a meal because only goats ate ‘grass’ where they came from. My mother also made sure to make me pack plenty of Agbadas and Shokotos because they had heard that it was very cold over there. Very early the next morning, I left with my parents for Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. London Proper Despite all the advice I had received, London still presented me with much culture shock; everything was different – the buildings, the weather, the food, the culture. Besides, it was strange to see so many white people in the same place. All that, along with the occasional racism. However, I soon adjusted, and as usual, I set off nicely in my studies. In the end, I was awarded my certificate in Chartered Accountancy. Sacrifice for Ama Ghana I had finished my course and had begun working in London when I heard that the Government of Ghana was recruiting workers for several new offices they were opening. By now, I had been in the UK for a number of years, and I was feeling quite homesick. Aside from that, I thought it would be an honour to apply the knowledge I had acquired to help my home country. What better sacrifice than that? So, I applied to work with the newly set up Ghana Revenue Service (now the IRS), and my application was successful. I came back home in 1964. By then, my entire family had moved back to Ghana. It was a very joyous occasion, and it was nice to see my family, as well as nephews and nieces who had been born when I was away, some of whom I had only ever seen in photographs. I can say that I was one of the pioneers of the Ghana Revenue Service. In Pursuit of Knowledge 10 The Birthday Journal
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