Sam and Dan were not just classmates, they were close friends right from their secondary school days. While Dan came from the northern town of Zulum, Sam was from Dodan, a southern town.
However, soon after their graduation, both friends lost contact of each other. This was mainly because, as Dan got admission to study Law at the university, Sam travelled with another friend to Congo to start a business career. Unfortunately, Sam got entangled with the law under a controversial circumstance, and got locked up in a prison custody in that foreign land.
As time went on, Dan graduated as a lawyer, and got employment with the judiciary department. He rose through the ranks to become a justice after 38 years of service.
Meanwhile, his efforts in knowing the whereabout of his good friend, Sam, proved abortive. He had sought to locate Sam from as many of their friends as possible, none could give a clear clue to Sam. The closest he came to the truth was when someone told him that Sam had travelled to Congo on a business trip.
So, after many years of searching, Dan gave up and resigned to fate as the memory of Sam was even gradually becoming a dream.
On his own side, Sam who was languishing in jail, after many years was set free by a judicial committee of enquiry, under the platform of Justice of Mercy. It was established that he was innocent of the phantom charges against him. He was compensated with the sum of 200 million by the government and was released unconditionally.
With that he came back to Nigeria and started a business, dealing on animal hides and skin in the Federal Capital Territory. It didn't take much time for Sam's business to flourish. It was a success, to put it simply. He became prominent and respected in the society, in a short period of time.
Soon after, the government created additional autonomous communities of which Sam's Dodan community was one. Sam was appointment by the chiefs in the council of the king to be their chairman.
One of the fallouts from the newly created autonomous community exercise was a dispute between Dodan Autonomous Community and a neighboring community over the ownership of one expanse of farmland.
This misunderstanding made the government to set up a panel of enquiry to determine the true ownership of the land, and also find a means of reaching a peaceful resolution. Justice Dan was appointed to head this panel.
On the very first day of sitting Sam, as the chairman of the chiefs from Dodan community led his team to the venue. To his surprise, as the justice, in his full regalia was walking in (with his assistants at both sides), to the high table, who he saw was his old friend, Dan.
At the same time, Justice Dan, as he sat down, and looked around the hall to see people already sited, his eyes caught his old friend, Sam. His eyes widened but, he suppressed the emotion within him.
While the proceedings went on, both Sam and Dan were forcing themselves to fully concentration on the main issue that brought them together. They could not openly disclose their findings since they were in public.
When the meeting finally came to an end, Justice Dan quickly stood up and began to walk to his chamber, preparing to send the court messenger to go and invite Sam.
Sam himself, stormed out of the hall, and walked straight to Justice Dan's chamber.
The two friends could not hide their excitement on coming face to face.
"What are you doing here?" Exclaimed Justice Dan, as both friends hugged each other, smiling broadly.
"So, you're here?" Replied Sam.
"You mean you've been around?"
"I've searched for you all over the country".
"It's a long story".
The two sat down to relive old stories and experiences. Truly as Sam said, It was a long story. What a happy reunion!
