Patience Itam Nkama bagged her LL.B certificate from the University of Ebonyi, Ebonyi State in 2008; she subsequently went to Abuja campus Law School and was called to the Nigerian bar in 2009. She had her NYSC programme in Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Warri, Delta State between 2010 and 2011. She also had two years training in S.O Ajako & Co. in Warri before joining Chief Tunji Arosanyin at Destiny Chambers in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
I have series of experiences in court which to me were mind blowing. But the one that often comes to my mind was the day my principal sent me to court. We were supposed to go together but he had an emergency call. Since I have realised that I have to take up the task, I asked him, what happened at the last adjourned date? In his response, he said, ‘nothing much’. I asked again, ‘what is then my purpose in court? He replied, ‘the case has just started…’ but lo and behold, the story changed when I got to court. The matter was for cross examination.
On this fateful day, at the High Court, they called up my case and I entered appearance, afterwards, I said, ‘My Lord’, the case is for mention. Court negated and hence, read the record. It was revealed that the other counsel has called their first witness and the matter was adjourned for cross examination, that, I never prepared for. I tried to get an adjourn date but the court insisted that it must go on. The case was however stand down for me to come cross examine.
I had to go somewhere quiet to read the files, unfortunately for me again, it did not contain much details of the case. When we resumed, I insisted that the court should adjourn the matter; in fact, I lied just to secure adjournment but court refused. That day, I felt like purging…
