The Global Achievers Issue 12/2021 | Page 73

network or those from family and friends. In the end he makes a choice and pops the question. If the lady is interested, all activities from then are towards marriage and family life. However, this couple I met was different as is seen, that their relationship began at a time people will usually discourage boy and girl friendship.

 

Everything was going fine for the family. The kids were attending private school and on Sundays we met in church. Little did we know that something exciting was popping up. Well, not that exciting in some respects. The man was nominated to be a judge, and for that reason he had to stop his Law practice while going through all judicial scrutiny. From state to national, this man was successful on all rounds and the only thing left was for the state governor to swear him in as a judge. Everyone was happy for him, or so we thought; not knowing that a time of sad reality was ticking like a time bomb waiting to explode.

 

Trouble began brewing from his community with several allegations against him and his larger family. If you know about communal troubles in Nigeria, things escalated so easily that no one was safe travelling to their communities anymore: houses got burnt down, properties worth millions razed to the ground. As if that was not enough, local politicians who were influential in the ruling party opposed him for being a judge. They started sending thugs and criminals after him to a point he couldn’t feel safe even in his own house. He had to escape for his life to another city. What began as a little issue became a downward reality for the family and sadly, it went on for ten years!

In those ten years, the man lost his income as he couldn’t go back to practice his profession.