Nigeria, Dec. 25 -- We were meant to attend a naming ceremony that evening in Kano. Everyone was ready. I got into the car, but it quickly became clear there wouldn't be enough space. I stepped aside and let the others go.

As the car disappeared into traffic, my boss turned to me and asked casually, "Zekeri, would you like to go for a walk?"

I said yes without hesitation.

It is his habit - almost a ritual. Evening road walks. In Abuja, he does it religiously; sometimes with his wife, sometimes with one of his children, sometimes with a member of staff. Kano was no exception. We had done it twice earlier in the year: once in September during the PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship, and again in December during Image Merchants Promo...