Season 1, Episode 9: CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?
Some say lawyers are liars. I think lawyers are the most loyal friends and very thoughtful humans. You can trust them to keep your confidential matters without signing privacy agreements. Never mind that they have a way with words. Tag a lawyer you love so dearly in the comment section……..
Those were the words that accompanied Tolani’s instagram photoshoot beside the lady justice statue in front of the High Court of Lagos State, Lagos Division. While waiting for Veronica to find a parking space, she had indulged in taking selfies and finally captured an adorable shot, so she scribbled those words, partly because she wanted to engage her followers and felt somewhat philosophical and partly because she wanted to take a picture of her Vera Wang city chic cotton flared dress with white crochet embroidery design on the collar.
She had nursed a penchant for black and white clothing while she was in the University, creatively pairing her white/black blouses with asymmetric trousers/skirts and black skirts. Never a dull moment combining just two colours almost everyday of the week. She was certain to enrol for intellectual property law as one of her elective courses in 400 Level even though most students thought the lecturer was a Shylock with marks. She’ll take a risk and she did, scoring B in the first semester and a not too shabby C in the second semester examination.
Her reverie was soon interrupted by Veronica, so she requested a quick selfie shot which she also posted on her Instagram handle.
Do you mind if I tag you she asked as they zig-zagged through the parking lot, close to what seemed like a warehouse connected to a corridor that was an adjunct passage to the main passage that connected the registry to the entry door that led to the foyer.
They were headed for Justice Lawal - Akapo’s court which was fairly close to the Lagos Multi-Door Court House but for the corridor that led to the door demarcating an array of court rooms from the mediation centre. There was a wide lobby where lawyers socialise after they made appearances in court or simply waited before court sessions while the court rooms were being cleaned.
Tolani and Veronica settled at the extreme in-built seats with sockets at every stall attached to the wall opposite the various rooms.
I’m @VeeUche on instagram, she finally said.
Are you by any way related to the SAN (Senior Advocate of Nigeria)?
Yes, I’m his daughter-in-law she said.
I see! Law is a hereditary profession she thought, successive profession she wanted to say.
I see? I don’t have sufficient interest for litigation. I simply endured 5 years because I wanted to cut my teeth in alternative dispute resolution. I’m more of a “Corporate, Transaction Lawyer” she added.
I’m just going with the tides for now, haven’t really clarified if I want to be a government consultant yet. I know I want to draft policies and be involved in the policy implementation process, but it seems quite narrow said Tolani.
At some point you will have to specialize. Take your time and enjoy the journey.
The court room doors swung open, it was 8:49 am. Lawyers and litigants made their way into the courts. Tolani joined the queue of lawyers checking the barlist for their cases on the registrar’s table.
Number 12! it’s going to be a long day today, she thought. The barlist was filled with commercial disputes slated for hearing of motion, further direction, further mention, mention and rulings, three rulings particularly.
She walked towards Veronica, as she attempted wearing her wig. Number 12 she said as Veronica adjusted the wig.
There was a loud thud at exactly 9:00 am with the registrar announcing “Court”!
She scurried off to the back, where litigants sit and stood beside a colleague, probably she thought, because they were quite many new wigs awaiting bar final results who also came to watch and document court proceedings. The entire court took a bow and eventually settled down as the first suit was called out. The legal representatives for both parties were present, only the claimant was present, the defendant was absent.
The court began reading the first ruling listed and somehow, she peered through her bag as she searched for her diary, she pulled off a novel (Can You Keep A Secret by Karen Perry) instead of her diary. She had began reading the novel during her commute to work that morning to kill time in the Lagos traffic. Mosun had given it to her during CDs last week Thursday. As she opened the back page, she saw a picture taken at the Lagos NYSC camp during the three week orientation program. It was a group picture with Dozie right next to her. They were not even in talking terms at that moment, at least she remembered he never said a single hello, but they looked so good together, just all smiles like they knew something will happen in a matter of time. Pictures must hold prophesies she mused at the entourage of the group 10 members. She looked at the title of the novel again, wondering if it was a message, probably a warning for the future, at least that was what ignited her interest when she saw the novel with Mosun at first. I’ll try not to do anything that will make me keep a secret in my relationship she told herself, just in case it was a future message. I won’t keep secrets, she muttered.
Then her phone began to beep with a flurry of comments, handles tagging handles that tagged handles. The stringless cycle continued until @Dozie1 was tagged!