WHILE I WAS AWAY...

This happened...

Aiit guys, I have to give my sincere apology for being A.W.O.L for so long. I admit, it was very rude and unfair, especially considering that I didn't even drop a hint. I feel so bad already, and I promise to make it up to y'all by filling you in on everything, and I mean everything! No detail would be left untouched. So, I hope I'm forgiven and we're back to being good buddies right? Yeah, yeah. Thanks.

I attended my first Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference and it was splendid! I must say that I enjoyed every bit of it, I wish I can go back and start all over again. It was really nice meeting old friends and acquaintances and making new ones too. God bless the organisers for putting up such an amazing one week! I stole the opportunity of attending the Conference because it was happening where I presently reside, and it was my first Conference as a lawyer. Typical human being, I left registration for the last minute, and I almost suffered a hitch because for some reasons I still don't understand, I couldn't pay online. That got sorted out though, thankfully, and then I applied for my leave at the office.

The day the Conference was to start was also Le Boo's birthday, so we ditched NBA registration for the turn up. En route Domino Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery (they had just opened in Abuja a week earlier, so I planned we celebrate Boo's birthday there with our friends). Everything was working together for our good because our friends were around for the Conference too. I'm not so good with roads and their network, so we spent like an hour trying to locate where to pick up the cake I ordered and also the venue for the turn up. Le Boo was already pissed judging that I had been there before and should know the way there and so our friends wouldn't get there before we did which wouldn't be nice...anyway, I just couldn't locate the place, so we finally paid a cab guy to drive ahead of us till we got there. We got pizzas and Ice cream, and My oh My, how I loved the Ice cream! We all had "Oreo overload" (you should try it too) and we enjoyed it. (Pictures will tell the rest of the story. It took me an arm and a leg to get these pictures up on the blog, you don't want to imagine what I suffered. I forgive myself even if you guys don't forgive me for bailing on you).


And then, there was a nationwide head count drama by NYSC. I guess that was just the low point of my getaway week. The crowd, never ending queues, sweats and hustle to sign on the register was just crazzzy! I almost passed out. Have I told you I hate stress??? Like who doesn't sef? In other good news, POP on my mind jare. God is faithful.

Then to the Conference proper...accreditation was easy for me. Le Boo helped sort out mine, so I didn't have to go through the stress there too. I heard the process was also stressful. Well, I escaped that one. I decided to spend the days of the Conference at my friend's place (thanks Julie!) with Efoma (she needs no introduction on this blog) since she stayed closer to the venue. We had fun! Exciting stuffs! Amazing lectures! Very Okay breakfast and lunch! Live band! Guest artistes! Dinner (which I did not attend anyway), You name it!!! It was fun overloaded.

The highlights of the event was being referred to as co-lawyers alongside people we look up to. Like my lecturers from the University, Law school, Senior Colleagues et al. When we sit to have drinks at the venue, my friends would laugh and say "we didn't look like new lawyers and fresh outta law school". We were rubbing shoulders with all them SANs, Judges and very very senior colleagues. What an experience! We sure didn't look like new wigs. LOL! Then again, the LECTURES!!! Amazing topics and great speakers. You attend events like this, and all you want to do is BE SUCCESSFUL. It doesn't matter where you belong or what you studied, just be successful. Create a niche for yourself. We had intelligent people talk to us on almost all aspect of human life and dealings; on Media and Entertainment, Insurance, Law, Money, Security etc, some of these lectures ran concurrently. Everyone had somewhere to fit in. For me, I wished I could be at two or more lecture halls at the same time. Seeing old friends, school mates and colleagues was also intriguing for me. The hugs, friendly smiles and exchange of pleasantries. I haven't seen some of them in years, so it was a kind of reunion for me. Good to know they are all doing well in their careers. And finally, what almost brought tears to my eyes, most of them are readers of the blog!!! You cannot imagine when I hug a friend from way back and he/she says "Weldone Barby, I read your blog, keep it up'' I just felt like screaming!!! I'm like ''you too?''. How nice and humbling for me. Who would have thought! The encouraging words I got last week was thrilling. Awwww! I'm very proud of myself jare...

And then, Conference ended, and I am back to work and of course blogging. Why do good things end so quickly??? Sobs...

Please enjoy viewing the pictures...I kept taking them because I wanted to show YOU! Yes oh, I had you in mind all along. Talk about the love I have got for all of you...

                                                                         Moi

                                   

                                                                 First pic; I. Efoma. Julie

                                                              One of those evenings

                                                                  Birthday pictures

                                                                        Barby

             

                                                      The gathering of  Legal Minds.

                                                       Reunion with my old friends from University.

I tried to cover all the events. I hope you liked them and we are back to how we were? Yeah, HI FIVE! And hey, if you see yourself here, just say so in the comment section before I call you out...LOL.

Barby.