I met him for the first time some months after my call to bar. It was my first time of appearing in court alone and I was apprehensive of how things would turn out.
Immediately he came into court, there was an unusual rumble and some lawyers started changing their sitting positions. I thought they were doing so as a mark of respect, until I noticed the condescending attitude.
They were giggling and making fun of him, but he did not bother. He made to sit beside a particular lawyer but that one shoed him away and asked him to sit somewhere else.
His next position of choice was beside me. That was when I realized the reason for the seeming rejection.
Our learned friend was not just drunk to stupor, he smelled like one who had bathed in alcohol and used the same substance as body cream/perfume.
This attitude continued until recently when I noticed I had not seen him for a long time. I enquired as to his whereabouts and was informed that he had passed on.
He was diagnosed of liver related problems and before help could get to him, he crossed over to the side of no return.
Many lawyers and other professionals are also toeing this part and killing themselves slowly. They come into court and you are hit by an offensive odour that makes you want to keel over in a bid to hold your breath.
It is worse when the court is full and there is no other place to sit. You are left with no option but to sit and hope that your case or his is called first: either way, one of you get to leave early.
Whether we like it or not, most times our lifestyle determines our lifetime. We are basically what we eat and drink. What we sow is what we will reap.
When we fail to take care of our health, other aspects of life suffer: family, career, finances etc.
Remember that no client has ever insisted that his matter should end just because his lawyer died; neither has any company closed shop because they lost a particular employee.
No matter your brilliance, no client has ever offered to be buried with his counsel and you will not be the first.
Instead some clients have been known to brief new lawyers the same day they heard of their lawyers' death. You may call them callous but life must continue for the living.
There is need to be intentional about your health and lifestyle.
You have a lot to contribute to your generation.
Eat well
Exercise well
Rest well
#DON'T GET WASTED BY AN UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE
