08/07/2026
My Call to Bar Day One Experience as an Event Creator
On Sunday, I landed in Abuja to experience what the Call to Bar ceremony looks like.
As an event creator, I felt I needed to understand how the event works, what to expect, and how everything is coordinated in case of future b00kings for such an event.
Before deciding to attend, I spoke with some friends who are lawyers. They encouraged me to come to Abuja and cover the event if I could afford to spend the four days here.
What they obviously didnāt know was that to cover the event as a media practitioner whether digital or mainstream you must first apply for media accreditation, be verified, and receive approval from the Body of Benchers.
Yesterday, I arrived at the Body of Benchers and got what I would call the biggest surprise of the month.
Yesā¦ as an event creator, every day and every week comes with its own surprises. š¤£ This has been the biggest one so far in July.
Imagine arriving an event by 8am and standing outside till about 12:30pm when the gates were open for everyone. lol
No media practitioner, digital or mainstream was allowed into the complex without an approved media pass and identification tag issued by the Body of Benchers.
That meant I couldnāt access the complex or the main hall to create the kind of videos I had envisioned.
It was only after the ceremony ended that the gates were opened to everyone. By then, I was able to meet some of the people I came to see, while others had already left.
Still, I managed to capture a few beautiful moments, even though they werenāt exactly what I had planned.
At the end of the day, I didnāt achieve what originally brought me to Abuja.
But I gained something even more valuable.
I learned how the Body of Benchers handles media access during the Call to Bar ceremony. I now understand the process, the requirements, and what needs to be done ahead of time if you must have a media access.
Thatās knowledge I would never have gained if I hadnāt taken the bold step to attend.
Sometimes, experience teaches you would never had learned from home. lol
Now, if I ever plan to cover the event again with full access, I know exactly what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.
That is the kind of knowledge that only comes through experience.
Whatever you choose to do in life, always remain open to learning either through your own experiences or through the experiences of others.
As a passionate event creator, I will continue to attend more events, explore, learn, and grow both locally and internationally.
The Body of Benchersā Call to Bar ceremony is one of the most organized, disciplined, strict and time-conscious events I have ever attended as a creator.
No cutting corners to enter. lol
Anyone who arrived after the ceremony had started was not allowed into the venue, even if they had an invitation.
In other words, if the ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., you had better be seated before then.
A lot of people were locked outside the gate including parents
Imagine travelling all the way from Kaduna to witness your son or daughterās Call to Bar, only to arrive at 11:15 a.m. and be denied entry.
Maybe itās possible that the security personnel would probably have denied access to a late celebrant too. š God forbid!
It was truly a beautiful experience, and I loved every bit of it.
Today is Day Two, and Iām heading back to stand outside the gate once again because I still donāt have media access.
And honestly, thatās okay.
For some of us building something BIG for the future, moments like these are simply part of the journey.
One day, weāll look back on stories like this and tell them on even bigger platforms.
Growth always has a beginning.
My name is Oga Yenne
Media Practitioner and Event Creator!
