In a frenzied Saturday night atmosphere at the Stade de France, Alfred seized her moment.

"To be honest, it's a great atmosphere," he says.

This year, he revisited gossip as a recurring evil, likening the Curia’s atmosphere to any insular office rife with whispered critiques.

"It felt like there was a strange atmosphere" on the street the night before news broke that Assad had fled, he says, without elaborating.

He adds that people from Iran, Italy, and the Caribbean have come to their sessions - and they encourage others to join in, learn about Igbo culture, ask questions, and immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere.