Justice, Law and The City

2

Fridays were hectic. From the advent of tutorials to seminars and law clinic, the day had stress implanted on its forehead.

Hope picked her phone from her bed as her eyes scanned the timetable for the tenth time. She placed it down and went back to arranging her clothes into the orange bag. Her room boomed with silence no one around but her alone. She checked her lists of things not to forget, marking some off the charts with her eyes. The sight of her underwear bringing a silly smile to her face as she remembered the events of the previous day. Panty ripper.

Faith had rushed into the room. "Girl, see how you dey breathe like dog.'' Toyin said colloquially and everyone laughed. "Ah she wan still comot." She drawled noticing that faith was hurriedly packing up.

"Faith don graduate. You no know before?" Edna chipped in. it was at this that faith laughed. Her laugh rich in colours. Something around pink, red, white and maybe blue, a woman in love.

"Leave her alone," Hope said defending Faith when she noticed how fast they were gaining in on Faith.

"Why?" Toyin asked.

Hope rolled her eyes her back to them. This girl was trouble.

"Leave her so that she will go and meet Tammy." Edna answered using Tam's name as a bait. Everyone, even Hope turned to watch what her reaction would be. A sheepish grin spread across her face.

"Madam, greet oga panty ripper oh" Toyin broke the silence and instinctively Faith chased her round the small room that looked like a cubicle with six beds.

"Abeg make una no break my cup oh!" Hope raised her voice.

Still running Toyin asks that Faith stopped chasing her. "Then stop saying rubbish." Faith fires back.

Hope stood up from the bed she was sitting on, removing the mattress and folding it into a black polythene bag before stuffing it into a ZAZA shopping bag. When her eyes fell on the time which read "11:50am" for a class holding by 12:30pm she rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower.

*******

The class started in earnest by 12:30pm. Mrs Okah, a tall woman nicknamed "the great she hawk," held the Human Right Law student at a transfix with the tutorial, her rich deep voice dragging everyone along. Outside, it rained gently as the sweet smell of bollie danced in the air. For a moment Hope's eyes became fixed on the bukka shop that had become clouded with smoke from the roasting of plantain, yam and potatoes. Behind it was a yellow and green sign post with the exacts word: "Nigerian Police Force: We are your friend."

Mrs Okah's voice drew her out of the wells of thought floating in her mind. "We are a nation who passes bills and makes laws only to keep them in the assembly without proper circulation. The everyday layman we see does not know that he can sue a police man who upon arrest hits him. Most of you may not be aware but in this very University, a lecturer, my friend had her son arrested and since then, no one has heard anything about him. The young man's right to life, dignity of human persons, personal liberty and fair hearing was infringed with the turns of event, yet our government is one who has affection towards cows and goats than human beings."

Angel a dark beauty with braces raises her hands.

"Yes"

"Sorry to intrude ma, but the everyday layman cannot read and may not be able to interpret the law and if they can, how will they afford a good lawyer whose main aim is not to make ends meet but provide justice."

"First of all, the main aim of every working-class man is to make ends meet. Secondly, I was getting to that." She replied briskly. "there are government provided lawyers who would do their best to ensure that justice is served."

"Thirdly before my time's up, I want you all to take note of these questions and find the answer to them as these are the kind of questions to expect.

1. a. Abena is a 16-year-old who is in love with Bo yoyo. She plans to runaway from home and marry him as she does not have her father's blessings. Her father finds out and locks her up in the house refusing her to escape. Upon her release, she is furious and seeks redress. She claims that her freedom of association and movement has been infringed on. Advise her.

b. Would your answer be different if she was 21? Why?

2. Nziokor has died intestate and upon such the property is to be shared according to the law in situa. Upon sharing the property, Munachi has been refused her fathers property as women do not partake in inheritance under their culture. Her brothers believe that she has no case as the custom is a part of the customary law. About the same time Mrs Nziokor, Munachi's mother is facing threat of banishment if she does not perform the ritual rites. She has to: shave her hair, walk round the community naked and drink the water used to bathe her husband's dead body. Also, Amara is the only witness to the rape of a little girl but because of the tradition she cannot be a witness as she is a woman.

They have all come to you for advice. As their lawyer advise them."

"There will be no assignment but for your upcoming exams I will send to your course rep areas of concentration. I know you all have questions but I want to say this, if you don't have your priorities right you will be worse than the present leaders of this country. We are hoping that your generation will make a difference. Have a good day class." She intentionally ends to shut the many hands raised with one question, word or another. Some wise, some stupid, all the same as she stepped out the class rang loud in many volumes and groups. There was the political aspirant with Osaz as their leader, the feminist, the humanitarian and then, there was Hope.

Her eyes scanned each group as she battled with the urge to scream in their faces, call them hypocrites, the urge to do something, anything. Money would change all their big dreams. Mrs Okah was right, no man worked without the intent of not providing ends meet for him and his family, same applied to females. Slowly, she took her bag and left the class, no one noticing her on her way out, just the way she wanted it. Luckily, the gateman was nowhere in sight. She lifted her eyes up in deep appreciation to God as she muttered "thank you."

Hope scans the busy, noisy road, watching as no car bothered to stop and silently cussing at the supposed unmannered rich drivers. She ran at the slight chance of a delayed vehicle trying to change lane. She stopped a taxi and got inside, making sure to seat close to the door. Her paranoid father always said that sitting in the middle could land you in one chance. It was almost the beginning of "ember months."

"Rumuokoro how much?"

"Na 150 oh." The driver sounds over his shoulder as he bends his head still motioning for more passengers.

"You get change? I have 500 naira."

The man looks by his door as if looking for something. "Ehh enter." He drives for a while before he stops as the car becomes full with passenger.

"Make una hold change o, I no get change oh." He repeats this same mantra for every passenger that enters his cab.

Hope turns her attention from the scene and rests her head against the window, looking outside uninterestingly. One thought dancing behind her mind. Something she hadn't dared to think upon. No, not in 5 years. But an answer played in her mind.

What would have happened to her 5 years ago if she hadn't been recognized as Barr. John's daughter? A voice jeered at her, 'you would be missing too."