MY LAWYERS’ CHRISTMAS: A BEGINNING’S END, A NEW BEGINNING

Hello there dear gist partner!

I pick my pen from the basket of achievement to write to you on this auspicious day😊. 

Welcome to today’s gist. 

Where to begin? I honestly do not know. 

As I watched the day turn from Wednesday to Thursday, I heaved a sigh: of gratitude, of relief, of accomplishment, of melancholy and wistful hope, of acknowledgment. Today is that day! I’ve dreamed of this day for the longest time and it is here! I actually remember a time before I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer, I remember when I decided I wanted to be a lawyer, I remember the one time my mind wavered on whether or not I should actually study law, I remember what corrected my sense and made me decide to remain on course, I remember how I felt when my best friend sent me the proof of my admission to study law in University of Jos, I remember screening, I remember my first lecture, Nigerian Legal Method, I remember my final lecture in the University, Company Law, I remember Law school registration and the drama that accompanied it, I remember getting called by friend to be told that I had gotten admission into the Nigerian Law School, I remember when my friend sent me proof of my posting to Port Harcourt Campus, I remember making the journey from Jos to Port Harcourt, I remember the climate and culture shock, I remember my first lecture at the Nigerian law School, Criminal Litigation, I remember my final lecture at the Nigerian Law School, still Criminal Litigation, I remember the first day of Bar Finals, I remember the last day of my Bar Finals, I remember the waiting period, I remember the moments before I looked up my results, I remember seeing my results, I remember the new waiting period. 

And today, new memories were made, the moment I stood to watch the Body of Benchers’ procession into the hall, I remember the moments before I was given leave to wear my wig, I remember being given entrance into the Nigerian Legal Profession, I remember putting my wig on my head, knowing that I am now a qualified legal practitioner. Today’s a day that I will forever go back to and think on. Today, the little girl in me smiled at the big girl she became who had now become the actualisation of that childhood dream. 

And today I cried, so many times actually, at the realization that I won’t be able to call home and tell Daddy that his daughter is now a qualified legal practitioner, then with gratitude that God that here I am now. 

I’ve had time to think through my journey to this place and really all I can say, like Esmo and Day3 said in their song, is that “e be like say na me na im God love pass” because there is no other way to explain the things that the Lord has done in my life to bring me to this place. I could tell you of hard work, I could tell you of grit, I could tell you of diligence but instead I’ll tell you of the hand of the Lord upon my life. God is so intentional about me. In my journey here, I have seen the hand of God upon my life, God has been so faithful to me: last minute interventions, supply as I need, gift of men –friendships that will last the rest of my life, direction, grace to will and to do. GOD HAS REMAINED ON A CONSTANT ‘SHOW UP’ MISSION IN MY LIFE and I am grateful. 

 It’s been a long journey to this place, I’ve had moments when I felt that I was wasting time, times when I felt like I wasn’t doing enough or that my efforts weren’t yielding results but in all of these, I’ve found that God writes the most beautiful stories, He makes everything beautiful and perfect in His time, I’ve learned to trust Him, a lesson He has had to teach me by destroying and derailing my plans most of the time, I’ve learned to to be arrogant and audacious with my faith, to hold God to His promises and I’ve seen Him deliver on each one!

Last year, I said when the cycle came round again for the Call to the Bar Season, the time I refer to as the Lawyer’s Christmas, it would be my turn, the cycle has come round and indeed it is my turn! Na me be the newest “The Law”!

Please, say a prayer for my mother today. My mother is the strongest woman, the most present, the most selfless and by far one of the greatest blessings of my life!!! I owe a lot to my mother and if I spent the rest of my life attempting to repay her, I no go fit finish. My mother Kit, thank you Mamana🙇🏾‍♀️❤️. 

It’s the end to a beginning, and it’s a new beginning. Here’s to a future that is undoubtedly brighter than my wildest dreams because I’ve got God!!!

TUNES AND THOUGHTS: the song recommendations for this week are: ‘Jesus Iye’ by Nathaniel Bassey, ‘Beyond me’ by Yadah, because I acknowledge that it is me -Achenyo Favour Salifu, that the Lord has shown mercy, and ‘Gratitude’ by Victoria Orenze because all I can really say go God is “thank you”. 

Here are the streaming links I could find, enjoy. 

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/4jcantRx2m6O7NAVvopqSb?si=VUiBVUNsRimRBukQRPBGUg&context=spotify%3Asearch%3Ajesus%2Biye 

https://open.spotify.com/track/4ov2ZirjEQqSOddb0w9jI9?si=qL8l9j88TCmhJdh10uIx6w 

https://open.spotify.com/track/6FOtEedC7uCwri090WzvV0?si=IrnA7qVDRR6WC5aT86jmNA 

Audiomack:

https://audiomack.com/nathaniel-bassey/song/jesus-iye?share-user-id=140072136 

https://audiomack.com/yadahworld/song/beyond-me-1?share-user-id=140072136 

https://audiomack.com/orenzeofficial/song/gratitude-1?share-user-id=140072136 

YouTube music:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=JtUsGmX53Sg&si=xM3dBNbvYP1ojWCX 

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=6AMlhD5rRwM&si=cpx9gsXekHpoeb-v 

Well, that is that about that as far as that is concerned, see you next week. 

Love,

Achenyo Favour Salifu, Esq.