Chapter 2 - New CEO

**In the Benson Group of Companies**

Mr. Taiye Jackson was seated at the head of the table in the conference hall, where they were meeting with various board members from his other companies, all registered under his name. He spoke softly to his assistant with a whisper in his ear, "Introduce the new head to them now."

They were gathered in the meeting hall to meet the newly appointed CEO, whose name had already been announced, but none of the workers had seen him yet.

Mr. Taiye Jackson was the former CEO. His father, Mr. Benjamin, who was the first to establish the Benson Group of Companies (meaning Benjamin and Sons Group of Companies), had already passed away. Everyone was assembled to witness the transfer of company ownership to Mr. Taiye's only son, Liam Jackson.

Liam was rumored to be cold, unfilial, and the workers knew that once he assumed the position of new CEO, they would be dealt with harshly.

Some had described Liam as arrogant, mean, and unappreciative, but nonetheless, he was very hardworking. He had been running some private businesses of his own in the United State before his father announced his retirement and requested him to return to Nigeria to run his multimillion-dollar companies.

Liam had initially refused, as he didn't want to return to his home country. He didn't seem to find anything interesting there, well, except for his mother, who was a God-fearing Christian mother who dressed modestly and never missed attending church to pray for his father and him, as he was her only son and child.

Liam understood that his mother had undergone a lot of marital crisis at the beginning of her marriage with his father. His paternal grandfather, Mr. Benjamin, had initially refused to allow his son, Mr. Taiye, to marry Liam's mother, Juliet.

But his father truly loved his mother, even though women were flocking around him, trying to seduce him and calling his mother barren. His father still insisted and married only her, without having any extramarital affairs. He stuck to only his wife, Mrs. Juliet Jackson, and stood by her even though his family objected, claiming she couldn't birth another child even after ten years of Liam's birth.

Liam's mother had suffered many miscarriages, and he knew it was because she worried so much about his father leaving her that she lost all those babies she had carried, except for him. He had just turned 30, his mother was 60, and his father was 68.

Liam loved his parents nonetheless, but his father had tricked him, lying that he was sick. He even arranged a fake doctor who called Liam, then in the States, and informed him of his father's ill health over the phone.

Liam was so annoyed to return home to his homeland only to find his father hale and healthy, moving around and attending business meetings. He was angered that his father had tricked him into returning and was now refusing him permission to go back to the United States.

******

Inside the headquarters of the Benson Group of Companies, which included an oil manufacturing company, a gas plant, steel production, and the production of other basic amenities, they sat in the conference hall for the meeting with all the various heads who were managing his father's companies on his behalf, except for him.

Liam was in one of the private rooms on the second floor, adjusting his necktie. He wore a long-sleeved shirt and black plain trousers, his coat resting on the table. His father had told him he would be introducing the different board members and partners managing their business affairs.

Liam breathed out heavily and finally picked up his coat to wear. His assistant, Brown, whom his father had assigned to him on his first day of joining the company, knocked on the private room door. Liam replied, "Come in."

"Boss, it's time for the introduction to begin," Brown informed him. Liam nodded and put on his black coat.

Just then, his father's spokesperson announced to the prominent men and women seated in the large meeting hall, "Welcome Mr. Liam Jackson, the new CEO of Benson Group of Companies."

The hall immediately erupted in a round of applause as he stepped forward and climbed onto the podium. His father was already seated at the head of the front table, while his father's assistant, Mr. Silas, handed him the microphone to give a brief speech to their congregation.

"Thank you all for acknowledging our invitation and witnessing my submission as the new CEO of Benson Group of Companies. I would like us to continue with our integrity and work diligently to build our company into a much brighter recognition of transparency and guaranteed product. Thank you all for being a part of my journey." Liam handed the microphone back to Mr. Silas and stepped down from the podium.

The applause intensified as Liam walked to take his seat, while a few top heads stood up to shake hands with him as he sat down. He stood up and shook hands with them in return, before sitting back down, and they all returned to their seats.

Liam's father, Mr. Taiye, smiled faintly at him as he stood up to give his own speech before Silas's final closing remarks.

"Thank you all for honoring my invitation and witnessing this new beginning with our new CEO, who is none other than my son, Liam Jackson. I appreciate all our past workers who have been working hard in uplifting our name and creating transparency, making us one of the best production companies here in Nigeria."

"I would like you all—both old and new workers, and those in retirement—to respect and work amicably with our new CEO, and follow whatever decisions he implies for our company to grow globally, as you can all see he's global and just returned from the States to be with us."

"Thank you all once again, Silas. I give it to you to close the meeting for today." Mr. Taiye handed the microphone back to Silas, who read out some new briefs about products and prices.

After that, Silas closed the meeting with his ending speech, while the invitees and workers stood up to exit the meeting hall as the meeting with their new CEO concluded.

******

Liam remained in the meeting hall with his father. After the number of guests and members dwindled, with only a few still discussing, he stood up and walked over to meet his father, who was conversing with his friend, Mr. John Patrick.

Mr. Patrick was also one of their trusted managing directors in the company.

"Father, I want to have a word with you," Liam told his father, hoping he would wrap up his conversation with his friend.

"Okay, Liam, I will be with you shortly," Mr. Taiye responded while Mr. John turned to face Liam.

"Oh, Master Liam, congratulations on your new position," Mr. John smiled faintly at Liam.

"Thank you, sir. It's an honor meeting you too and working here with you all," Liam said.

"You can count on us always, Liam. Your father is my boss and a very good friend, and I'm so happy to see you taking over his position as the new CEO. I know you will lead us to much better growth than your father and grandfather did."

"Thank you, sir," Liam smiled faintly, as he loved words of praise from his friends, colleagues, and elders, as they motivated him to work hard.

"You're welcome, Liam. Mr. Taiye, I'm leaving. My daughter will be very upset with me for not showing up at her school convocation today, even after she called me to come to her university with her mother," Mr. John said as he turned back to Mr. Taiye. "You know I couldn't miss your son being introduced to us as the new CEO, so I asked her mother and her elder brother to attend her convocation on my behalf, and she will be very annoyed with me," Mr. John continued.

"Oh, so sorry about that, Mr. John. I hope she understands," Mr. Taiye replied.

"Yes, boss, she will," Mr. John responded with a faint smile, preparing to leave.

"How about I make up for that and have her introduced to my son, and maybe extend our family friendship to marriage? I'm sure she will be happy about that," Mr. Taiye proposed, and Liam frowned from where he stood aside, waiting beside his father for him to finish his conversation with his friend.

"Oh, thank you, but that's if only my daughter will accept," Mr. John quickly replied, knowing how stubborn his daughter was and not wanting her to cause any problems between him and his boss.

"Why won't she accept? Liam is handsome, and every girl wants him. What did your daughter study in university?" Mr. Taiye asked, and Liam's frown deepened as he stared from his father to Mr. John.

Women were not in his interest, and Liam didn't like how his father was trying to court him with a lady he hadn't met and doubted he would like, just because of his father's friendship with her father.