(Team Nigeria - OAU AND NDU STUDENTS)
We arrived Lagos State and
were lodged at a Hotel a little close to the Murtala Mohammed Airport. We had
rehearsed severally and were already familiar with our arguments. Unlike other competitions
we earlier attended, we had enough time to rehearse. We rehearsed in the hotel and
were doing excellently well. But I was already skeptical about our victory. My
reason was simple; the organizers of the competition had sent us the memorials
of all the schools competing in the competition. Except for two schools or so,
the memorials of other schools were better than ours and I was damn aware that
memorials attract good scores. I would say, almost half of the entire score. Although
we had been able to put up something in eight days, I guess it was not enough
to defeat the rest I saw. Perhaps, other schools had enough time to prepare. My
other team mates were optimistic we will do well, but for me, that was
partially the case. But truly, I wasn’t worried; I kept on with the rehearsal.
Hours after, we were
set to board our flight, so we took a cab to the airport. One thing I observed at
the airport was that items are so costly. Photocopying documents could cost
even a thousand naira. But that was not to be considered. We had a mission at
hand which must be accomplished.
We passed different
check points and security officers who checked us thoroughly. Our bags were
checked with every liquid items removed and stored in a separate place in the
cabin.
After a while they were
done with the search. It was almost time for leaving. I sat down pondering over
everything. I knew it wasn’t planned. The scene had just played itself.
We entered the plane
and I located my own seat which was somewhere at the middle. Not long after, the
cabin screw came and spoke to us, explaining to us about some signs and how to
exit the plane when the need arises and so on. The plane was fumigated with a
substance I had no idea about. The smell was a bit harsh, so I closed my
nostril in defence. Soon, the plane started moving, and after a while it added
a little speed after which it flew into the air. It was already dark and our
journey was a six hours journey or so.
Some minutes later,
dinner was served. Some drinks were first given to us. I was asked by a female staff
what brand of drink I would like to take. I really had no idea of what the
meals were, so I asked for one of them which name I can’t remember. The South
African lady who was serving us asked me the drink I would like to take, whether
alcohol or juice. I said I preferred juice and all of a sudden, the lady
started laughing uncontrollably. Myself and Hope Ogunka were wondering why she
was laughing. I really did not understand what was going on as other passengers
were shocked as well. She laughed so hard that she had to excuse herself into
the other segment of the plane. She was just laughing seriously while looking
at me. Hope believed that she was laughing me because I rejected taking the alcoholic
drink. Maybe to her, a man should not just opt for a soft drink. To me, it was
just weird. Why on earth should she laugh at me simply because I chose a soft
drink over an alcoholic drink? But that was by the way. After all, great men are not known by excess spirit.
The journey continued.
It was so smooth. I could see the wing of the aero plane. It was kind of long
and looking very funny to me. I was busy watching Troy on my personal
television before me, to occupy myself. Of course, I was on a journey and sure needed
some rest.
Soon we arrived Johannesburg.
We entered the airport and met the security officers already on ground. But
funny enough, we were not searched as we were searched at the Nigerian Airport
and I was wondering why the difference. A South African official was busy
singing a song when a Nigerian before us approached him for verification. He
asked the Nigerian if he was one. The Nigerian replied that he was. The South
Africa then sang a Nigerian song sung by Davido or so, and asked him to tell
him the name of the artist. The Nigerian could not. Then the South African
concluded that he wasn’t a Nigerian for not knowing the name of the artist,
although he got him cleared. As for me, I knew not much of such secular
musicians so I was sure I am no Nigerian if that were to be the basis to know
if I am one.
Soon we were cleared.
We located our bags from the cabin and got to the place where those who had
arrived were to be picked. There were so many persons with carbon like papers with
the name of persons written on them. I guess that was done so that it would be
easy knowing who was to be picked up and by whom. Closely, I had seen a man
with a paper written with AFRIKANA with the map of Africa on it. It looked so
beautiful. The whole site was different from Nigeria’s and I was just wondering
why Nigeria was so backward. But that was not the reason I was there, I had my
country to defend. So I had to be focused.
We waited for minutes
to hours but we were yet to see any of the organizers. Our lecturer had to call
one Ms Prudence or so, but the line was not picked. After several trials, the
line was picked and then we were told that the man who was to pick us was
already in the airport. Luckily for us, we located him and lo, it was the man
with the writing, AFRIKANA. Immediately we packed our luggage and went out of the
airport. It was when we went out of the place that I realized I was in a
different environment altogether. I was dying slowly. The cold had immediate
affected my body. It entered through my fingers and toes and within minutes I
was shivering. I dropped all the bags with me and started begging the driver to
open the car doors. I had no idea it was winter and funny enough I was dressed
on caftan with a rubber slippers and stocking covering just my feet. The driver
then put on the air conditioner that was producing heat. We got settled and not
long after we began our journey from Johannesburg to Pretoria where the competition
was to be held. We arrived our hotel known as Hotel 24 and were cleared by the
Hotel staff. As the only male in the team I was taken to a special apartment
with a big room, kitchen, bedroom and a bathroom. It was so beautiful like what
I sue to see in the foreign movies.
After a while, the
organizers met me and told me that I will be sharing the room with one more
person. I was waiting for the person to see what he looked like. Hours after,
he arrived; John Obera from Kenya. He looked so cute and gentle. We exchanged pleasantries
and started talking about many topics as if we had known ourselves for long. I
was no longer bored because I was with another African to share some
experiences. We spoke a lot but not so much about the competition. We got to
realize that he was going to be my opponent in court. John had come with a
beautiful lady, Jackie Akello. She looked very smart and very intelligent. As
for me, I like smart people so it was only natural that we got to talk. We spoke
so much about Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and other stuffs. Through our chat, I got
to realize that the Nollywood was really appreciated outside Nigeria as well as
our music. In all, I got to know that Nigeria as a country is well blessed but
for our failure to utilize what we’ve got, we have been treated less of what we
are.
It was the next day and
we were all set for our matches. We arrived the venue and were briefed by the
organizers of some facts about the competition. I got to meet Lulu Makapela for
the first time. She was cool to have seen me, because I was fond of disturbing her
with series of mails. All the young Africans were taken to a separate room like
a conference hall. The whole environment was so beautiful and I was glad to
have been part of it. There were free milk and juice close to the door and
visitors were free to take from it without been questioned. Not only that,
snacks and other kinds of food were everywhere. I just could not eat, because
food was just everything and I was filled almost all the time and within hours
I was already adding weight.
We meet the defending
champions, the Obafemi Awolowo University team from Nigeria. The faces were
different but I recognized them as a good team. Most African teams were so
curios to see them perform because so much had been heard about them. They had
their first match against the Makerere University team from Uganda. After the
match, I asked them how the performance was and I overheard one of the students
saying “Fire, fire, fire”.
I was just wondering
how good the OAU team was that made the Ugandan to speak in that manner. Not
long after, our team met with the Ugandan team. Ebizi Eradiri and Hope Ogunka
appeared for the first match against the Ugandans as well. It was a fair one.
We had done well above average, I would say. But that was not enough, we still
had a match against the Kenyan team and I was to appear as lead agent.
The University of
Pretoria contested against the Obafemi Awolowo University and the looks from the
South Africans thereafter showed it was tough for them too. I was like: How
good is this OAU team? Though we never had a match against them, I was happy
because OAU was part of Team Nigeria, whether NDU won or OAU won, it was
Nigeria that had won. So I was okay. What was important to me was that Nigeria
was performing.
Soon it was our second
match, and I was to appear for my school against the Mount Kenya University of
Kenya. And oh, John Obera was the lead agent on the other side. We were the
applicants, so we appeared first. Well, I will say this: My performance in the
International moot was one of my best appearances ever. I was stable and sharp,
articulate and vocal. I argued with great speed and there was just no
stammering. We obviously intimidated the Kenya team. John Obera then appeared
and argued very well. He was slow in speech but very articulate and fluent as
well. Jackie also argued but she was a bit down. After the argument she went
outside and was crying. We all wondered why but I guess it was private. Hope
Ogunka did excellently well as well. It was another fair contest and one was
not sure of which team will proceed to the finals. The University of Pretoria,
our school, the Mount Kenya University and the Obafemi Awolowo University had
done so well, but only two teams were to make it to the finals. Every other
team will be eliminated. It was our school against the rest. Just two; it was a
tough one but who will make it?
The Judges were good. They
questioned us all intelligently as expects that they were. One of the judges
was interested in our team because she liked the way we argued, but she was
swapped when it was my turn to argue. Soon it was time for the results. The
judges sat as usual and called the two teams that had made it to the finals. The
University of …..
[Suspense- In next episode, readers will get to know the two teams
that made it to the finals]
STAR ADVOCATE OF THE
EPISODE: JOHN OBERA
John Obera from Kenya
is one of the best advocates I have ever met. I was not shocked he emerged the
best Oralist of the competition because he was so articulate and fluent. Quite
gentle and soft spoken, he sure must have made his school proud with his skills
of advocacy.
COMING SOON!!!
HONEY HILL:
Honey Hill is the story of a young girl who lost sight of her mum for many years,
and in quest to search for her mum uncovered many secrets of the past that
hunted her innocent life. It is a story of love, revenge and tears!
Please drop your comments here, I
will really appreciate it!!