May the farce be with you*

Sorry. Etc. Again.

One of these days I'll manage to start a post with something other than a grovelling apology... No, really, I will.

Right. Time is short (as am I) so here's a top ten run down of things that have happened of late. I'll leave you to add the Smashy & Nicey sound effects:

Coming straight in at number 10 is my new-found talent for wangling invites to top-level meetings with government, oil companies and NGOs. It seems that all the networking is beginning to pay off. 500 business cards distributed already – time to order some more methinks!

At 9, we've got my fun and games with immigration... Through no fault of my own I was, for a short while, considered an illegal immigrant and stripped of my passport [cue massively high blood pressure and sudden need for medicinal quantities of beer and chocolate]. Luckily, the powers that be decided that I wasn't a threat to national security after all and gave me my passport back yesterday. Cue a huge sigh of relief and some celebratory bangers and mash.

Up next at number 8, and closely linked to number 9, is my forthcoming holiday with the wonderful Melon. We're off to the Gambia for a week on the beach... It's sod's law that just as things step up a gear (or 3) with work, an excellent holiday opportunity comes along but, hey, such is life. So I'm off to Banjul via Dakar tomorrow evening for a week of beaches, beers, books (of the non-academic/-worthy/-challenging variety) and my very bestest friend.

At number 7, there’s that great feeling that I somehow belong here. I really feel settled into my life and work/research here and, more importantly, that the people around me are beginning to see me as part of the gang.

Sneaking at number 6 my trip to see El Presidente in Yenagoa last month. The big man was - in theory at least - there to inaugurate the Assembly of the new Bayelsa Partnership Initiative. As it turned out, the Governor of Bayelsa - the Honorable etc Goodluck Jonathon - had tired old Olu out so the soiree was a bit of a non-event. He did, however, manage to make it along the ExCo chambers of Government House for a speedy ceremony so all was not lost. Didn't get to shake his hand though as I was too busy fending off the advances of a randy Texan businessman [yee-hah, etc].

And now for the top five...

Straight in at number 5 was the launch of the "Prevent Child Abandonment Today" (PACT) campaign in Eket a few weeks ago. The campaign was organised by a small Nigerian organisation which is working to rehabilitate abandoned and abused children in Akwa Ibom State, with support from Stepping Stones - the British NGO established by the fantastic Gary and Naomi (more about them soon) - and the Akwa Ibom State government. There were a couple of really inspiring speeches from missionaries (yes, you read that right), a deeply moving performance by the choir from the camp for streetkids that CRARN runs and a full-on scrum for the free campaign t-shirts and caps.

Up one place at number 4 are the links I've forged with a fantastic local NGO (CSCR) who monitor the social and environmental impacts of Shell's operations and community engagement. Needless to say, they are proving to be an invaluable source of advice, experience, knowledge and support for this fledgling researcher.

At number 3 was the workshop I ran for SDN and some of their partners on effective facilitation a month ago. Me, 12 participants, a small mountain of flipchart paper, post-its and felt-tips: an altogether ace combination. The photo I posted last month was taken just after we wrapped up the last session on day two (and was not, as some cheeky sod alleged, evidence of me moonlighting as a gameshow host!).

Coming in at number 2 is the massive leap forward my research has taken in the last few weeks - I've now decided which community to focus on and have got some great gatekeepers sorted out. I'm not usually one for fatalism but it's hard not to feel like something/one somewhere is giving me a helping hand. After a couple of months of confusion, everything has suddenly fallen into place. There's hope for this thesis yet!

And, finally, straight in at the number 1 spot, we've got my weekend in Kabba with a couple of Irish priests, a gaggle of VSOs, some other assorted oyibos and a disgusting quantity of beer, a box of silly hats and a pair wind-up grannies. I think my liver is now on strike but, my god, it was worth it. Hats off to the Kabba boys for another quality bash!



[*thanks to a certain Agent Nana for the quality title]