I
am rounding up my workout when a phone rings, it’s my iphone so I am wondering
who has been calling me continously at 6.30am in the morning, both my home and
work phones had also rang in quick succession 3 minutes ago. The caller id says
Alhaji, one of the select few who have all my 3 numbers outside close family
members.
am rounding up my workout when a phone rings, it’s my iphone so I am wondering
who has been calling me continously at 6.30am in the morning, both my home and
work phones had also rang in quick succession 3 minutes ago. The caller id says
Alhaji, one of the select few who have all my 3 numbers outside close family
members.
“Good
morning Alhaji, how are you today sir”
morning Alhaji, how are you today sir”
“Learned Silk, I am doing fine”
“How
are Hajia and the rest of the family?”
are Hajia and the rest of the family?”
problem sir, can I drop by on my way to the office this morning”
“No,
I am on my way to the airport as we speak, the President is arriving from his
vacation this morning and I may be occupied for some considerable time, can you
make dinner at the house at 7pm?”
I am on my way to the airport as we speak, the President is arriving from his
vacation this morning and I may be occupied for some considerable time, can you
make dinner at the house at 7pm?”
“Yes
I can sir”
I can sir”
“Ok,
see you then”
see you then”
“Most
obliged sir”.
obliged sir”.
Alhaji
is one of my biggest clients; he is worth over Forty Billion Dollars and made
his money from investments in companies and properties all over the world. He had
ventured into business as a young man after receiving a loan ofN500,000 from his uncle and forty years
later, he had built that sum of into one of the largest companies in Africa. I
always look forward to dinner at his house in Maitama, it was custom to sit on
the floor with other members of the family and eat together. Moreover, whenever
Alhaji called, big money was involved and the retainership he was paying had earned him a right to call
me 247, even if I had to connect the call in my dreams. After texting my
Personal Assistant to ensure Enrique gets the Lear ready for 4pm. I can’t wait
to hit the office, obviously, today was going to be a great day.
is one of my biggest clients; he is worth over Forty Billion Dollars and made
his money from investments in companies and properties all over the world. He had
ventured into business as a young man after receiving a loan of
later, he had built that sum of into one of the largest companies in Africa. I
always look forward to dinner at his house in Maitama, it was custom to sit on
the floor with other members of the family and eat together. Moreover, whenever
Alhaji called, big money was involved and the retainership he was paying had earned him a right to call
me 247, even if I had to connect the call in my dreams. After texting my
Personal Assistant to ensure Enrique gets the Lear ready for 4pm. I can’t wait
to hit the office, obviously, today was going to be a great day.
Though,
I have lived in Lagos most of my life, I have never been able to get used to
the traffic and the long distance from Bourdillon to my office in VI, so for
ease of transportation, I had to buy a Boat. There is something about the sea
that keeps me upbeat during the day. As we sail over the waves, along the Lagos
Marina, my mind drifts to my 10am meeting with The Rear Admiral, as the Honourable
Ex-Minister of Defence, the CPCC was prosecuting him for a series of financial
irregularities that occurred under his watch, we had spent most of the week
conducting mock trials and judgment from the mock was to be delivered at 11am today.
He was facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted and he had made it clear,
that was not an option, so all hands were on deck for this trial, moreover, the
media coverage had been huge and there was no way my firm was going to lose
this one. Thankfully, the prosecution had done a good job of presenting little
evidence to support their 150 count charge but we were leaving no stone
unturned.
I have lived in Lagos most of my life, I have never been able to get used to
the traffic and the long distance from Bourdillon to my office in VI, so for
ease of transportation, I had to buy a Boat. There is something about the sea
that keeps me upbeat during the day. As we sail over the waves, along the Lagos
Marina, my mind drifts to my 10am meeting with The Rear Admiral, as the Honourable
Ex-Minister of Defence, the CPCC was prosecuting him for a series of financial
irregularities that occurred under his watch, we had spent most of the week
conducting mock trials and judgment from the mock was to be delivered at 11am today.
He was facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted and he had made it clear,
that was not an option, so all hands were on deck for this trial, moreover, the
media coverage had been huge and there was no way my firm was going to lose
this one. Thankfully, the prosecution had done a good job of presenting little
evidence to support their 150 count charge but we were leaving no stone
unturned.
Five
hours, three meetings and one interview later. I am glad to have the office to
myself when the intercom comes on and my P.A informs me that the car is waiting
to head to the Airport. ‘Yes, Alhaji, I sigh”. Dinner at Alhaji’s residence is splendid
as always, I am quickly filled from the variety of delicacies spread across the
living room floor and Alhaji invites me to his libary. After lighting his Cuban
and settling into his arm chair, Alhaji moves on to the business of the day”
hours, three meetings and one interview later. I am glad to have the office to
myself when the intercom comes on and my P.A informs me that the car is waiting
to head to the Airport. ‘Yes, Alhaji, I sigh”. Dinner at Alhaji’s residence is splendid
as always, I am quickly filled from the variety of delicacies spread across the
living room floor and Alhaji invites me to his libary. After lighting his Cuban
and settling into his arm chair, Alhaji moves on to the business of the day”
“Learned
Silk, a group of German investors are interested
in investing in my business”
Silk, a group of German investors are interested
in investing in my business”
‘Which
one sir?”
one sir?”
“The
Oil block, they hope to invest 150 million dollars if we are able to enter a
partnership”
Oil block, they hope to invest 150 million dollars if we are able to enter a
partnership”
“Are
you interested in partnering with them”
you interested in partnering with them”
“That’s
why I called you, I want you to do a due diligence on the company and their
financials”
why I called you, I want you to do a due diligence on the company and their
financials”
“No
problem sir, hope the details can be forwarded to the office in the morning”
problem sir, hope the details can be forwarded to the office in the morning”
“Yes,
first thing, also i want you to oversee the sale of my property in Houston, Texas,
it’s a gated community of condos and Mr.
Grump’s company is interested in buying, details will also be forwarded to the office”
first thing, also i want you to oversee the sale of my property in Houston, Texas,
it’s a gated community of condos and Mr.
Grump’s company is interested in buying, details will also be forwarded to the office”
“Consider
them done, anything else”
them done, anything else”
“That
will be all for now, let’s join the rest of the family in the movie room”
will be all for now, let’s join the rest of the family in the movie room”
One and a half hours later at 70,000 ft above
sea level blazing back to Lagos, the hostess hands me the Satellite phone, the
President of Guinea is on the line, after a brief conversation with His
Excellency, I drop the phone and sigh deeply, like my father said ‘the only
reward for good and hard work is more work”. Grudgingly, I pick up the phone
and jasmine, the Egyptian hostess picks up, “Tell Enrique to turn around and
head for Ivory Coast”.
sea level blazing back to Lagos, the hostess hands me the Satellite phone, the
President of Guinea is on the line, after a brief conversation with His
Excellency, I drop the phone and sigh deeply, like my father said ‘the only
reward for good and hard work is more work”. Grudgingly, I pick up the phone
and jasmine, the Egyptian hostess picks up, “Tell Enrique to turn around and
head for Ivory Coast”.
It’s
been a long day I say to myself as I lie back to catch some sleep.
been a long day I say to myself as I lie back to catch some sleep.
Join us next time for
another episode of “Life of a Lagos Lawyer”. An exclusive Legalnaija series.
another episode of “Life of a Lagos Lawyer”. An exclusive Legalnaija series.
PLESE
NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either
are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either
are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.