October 30th 2018.
Last week I had to deal with a situation that has been ongoing for the last 2 years. I walked out of the building frustrated, angry and feeling hopeless. The Nigerian legal system is one of the greatest challenges I have met in my life. I am not going to get into the details so I do not get upset all over again but it has been 2 years of not getting off the starting mark, quite literally.
Last week was particularly painful because of the effort I needed to make in order to attend an event that did not take place. I walked into the court (after battling traffic for 2 hours) just in time to find out that the court would not be sitting that day. I actually mentally sunk into the chair as if, if some one noticed my refusal to leave they would concede and hear the case. 3 seconds later I came to my senses like the prodigal child and thought at least the AC is working in my car, I can be angry in cool air all the way home rather than remaining in this sauna disguised as a court room.
I got into my car and decided I wanted to pray. Then I thought don’t be daft. My frustration and hopelessness made me want to run to God but my desire to run to God oddly made me feel ashamed. I hate feeling helpless. I hate feeling like I can’t take care of myself. I’m a grown woman who literally spends all her time taking care of everyone around her. Needing help is not my thing.
I decided to fight the shame and go to God. The plan is to spend the next 30 days crying to God on this matter and let him just end it, in my favour.
Update: May 22nd 2019.
So the first 2 days of November, I prayed violently and ferociously, and then spent the rest of the month asking God to remember.
As I walked into the court on the 6th of December, the opposing counsel approached my team and asked to settle. My immediate reaction was absolutely not. I have prayed, I want to watch your destruction! However my team spent the next 2 weeks talking me down and pleading with me to settle.
I guess I prayed and this was God ending it for me, so I gave in and accepted the offer.
Then I stopped praying because there were other things on my mind. January went by and the case was not concluded. February passed and the case was not concluded. In March I was guaranteed that we were done… In April I went back to God. 6 months had passed since I had met God on the matter and here I was still on the matter.
Within 2 weeks of getting back on the prayer mat for this issue, it was concluded. I had been through so much that it was difficult to be jubilant. Unchristianly descriptive words kept coming to mind every time I thought about the opposing counsel and their clients, but I tried to limit my verbalizations to words of gratitude towards my team and God.
It’s finally ended now.
In three years I do not have a better understanding of the Nigerian legal system. I do not have any appreciation or respect for the magistrates and judges of our courts. I have no faith in public prosecutors. I honestly cannot say a single pleasant thing about the Nigerian police.
My only take away from this entire episode is KEEP PRAYING and DON’T STOP PRAYING until it’s COMPLETELY FINISHED. Also remember to go back to God and say thank you -it helps for the next time you want to ask Him for a favour.
