ON MY YOLA POSTING

I think I should first of all clear the air. This is in no way a castigation of any authority; neither should it be read as a cry of a pained law student like the recent outburst of the large percentage affected by the strange examination process and results of the Nigerian Law School. It is just a representation of thoughts, fears, concerns and reflections on the part of a great lawyer, seasoned avid writer and thorough and analytical professor in the making. Yeah you can smile and clap about that...

When I heard the news of my posting to the Yola Campus of the Nigerian Law School, I was struck with disbelief and misunderstanding, a mixture of fear, anger and disappointment. All these I channeled to the system, the country, family, friends and myself. I have had to deal with comments, jokes and prayers that have been very heartfelt, consoling and sincere. But the sincere question is why all such negativity for the mere news of my posting to Yola? We are supposed to be one country, one people but for some reason that part of Nigeria has become a nightmare no one wishes his family or friend to be there. Now Yola is in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. It is the capital of the state of Adamawa, which has recently been constantly featuring in the news as part of the Boko Haram disturbed regions. You see, at this point, the convergence of spirituality, reality, rejection, despair and possibility hit me like the usual Lagos Traffic – stuck with no idea of where to go or what to do.

My first thought: No it can’t be possible. I hadn’t even filled Yola as one of my options during the application process, so I wondered why that would happen. I faulted the system. It was obvious that they did not follow the options on the form or someone was changed for me. So why me? I asked in total dejection; then I kept refreshing the page to see if it would change. For some reason I was happy for my haters though. I felt some people would have heard the news or seen Yola and thought to themselves “that serves him right”. To those haters and the system, I say: “There is God in everything we are doing”.

My second thought: oh well I would go on to serve and go to law school next year. I blamed myself. I blamed myself for having such a complicated life where everything wrong must happen first before they go right. I remembered that even when admission lists were released by the Law School my name was omitted, I had to call to get it rectified after some hours of waiting and praying. So maybe I should just wait and hopefully I would eventually become a lawyer. Some crazy options came to mind but they were as good as damning the faith and all that I believed as a person. But I debunked the ideas because of this faith and positive clairvoyance I have about my 2014/2015 Law school experience.

My third thought: try and work this thing out and get back to Lagos or some other campus down south. I blamed family. I blamed family for not knowing anybody in high places that could help with the posting. And I blamed myself too because the opportunity to “work it” came in school but my mindset of doing things differently blindfolded me to the truth and reality of the Nigerian system. And yes I blamed friends because I had my fair opportunity to get it worked but it apparently failed. So I started looking around and found some family and friends that have been there all the while but I didn’t deploy at the right time. Now here I was sad but took happiness in the knowledge of the newly found force I could deploy.

My fourth thought has haunted me since that day. This is where I come to. Since then till now, a few friends have said accept it in good fate, some have joked hardly about it, a few others not in the same words have meant the same thing. And once I thought about it. What if I got to Yola and upon entrance I was abducted or upon the continuation of the program all the lawyers to be are abducted or even sent as sacrifice to the political gods of the Boko Harams in bomb attacks. I am a Christian, and the Nigerian Law School represents a body of thorough legal education – two standards the Boko Haram vehemently kill and die for. I thought about #BringBackOurLawyers and how my family and all my current joking friends would go to church the first few days and pray and after a while make mockery of the movement in phone calls, text messages, tweets, Facebook statuses and even Personal messages on other media. I am sure I just heard a ‘God Forbid’. But what if all these do not even happen? I currently don’t even know anyone in Yola law school. Results from there the last time were poor; they probably hide and pray to read in peace. And I thought: how my first class Christian brain would prop-up all these and more for fear and uncertainty. And just when I was reporting the matter to the Faculty, I got news that there was a military craft crash in YOLA again!!! Toh!!!! Of course they were not just uncertainties

You see, one of my favorite constitutional provisions is the one that says I have the right to freedom of movement. Another one is that of owning property anywhere in the country. I believe that the construction of these provisions must have been by well meaning drafters who saw a one-Nigeria:  A place where people live in peace, harmony and unity; a place where residence, learning and working would not be determined by space, culture or religiosity. That is the Nigeria I envisage and I live it daily; but with these fears in my head and the minds of family, friends and even my Faculty back at school, I doubt I can bear the life. But on a serious note the Nigerian Law School and other bodies should not send students to such areas of insurrections, riots and chaos. I want to believe that the reason for making six Law Schools scattered around the six geo-political zones was for ease of access to those resident in those areas. If this is anything to go by I should either be in Lagos or Yenagoa campuses. But oh well no be so e happen.

A lot of drama has ensued since then till now. The Nigerian Law School is to resume on the 17^th and as of now I still have Yola on my name. But the experience has taught me a lot of lessons with life. One is that our country has a long walk towards unity. The best of the lessons remains this: it is always a personal race, so run it with vigor, hope and the end in mind.

With all the fears at heart, it is obvious there might be no faith that can carry me as a “child of God to go into the Lion’s Den and not be eaten like Daniel”. Or maybe I could start building it but my lovely mother who has been a financial and emotional backbone since age three would surely not risk her great son’s life and sell him for a token of 295,250 naira. Oh sorry add flight money to and fro and also provisions and pocket money to it.

Like The Man in Ayi’s The Beautiful ones are not yet born I do not resign to “good fate” as some friends call it, but to flow with the tide of the system- just this once. I declare my act of making something work in my favor for personal gain and not national allowance. Special shout out to my friends who have asked about the matter and prayed about it. And my all time Paddy @Ojhordee for breaking the news to me CNN. May Enugu Law School be interesting and produce a great lawyer in you!! And to Jeffery, my Yola partner, we are not going!!! We remain loyal to the Team No Yola Course. I should remind you it is all for the laughs. I could only write to release my frustrations. SIGH!!! Relief!!!