Service Year Boulevard 116

Interesting read!!!!

Pre call up

We finished school and was waiting for NYSC registration; I spent the time at the firm I had my IT with so I wasn’t really disturbed about the delay. When registration started, I chose Ogun, Nasarrawa, Kaduna and Cross River. I was posted to Cross Rivers and everybody was telling me to be very careful – I’m sure you all know why, lol.



Journey to CRS

Journey to CRS started at 4:30am, took a cab to PMT Park, Ojuelegba, met another Kross Kopa there, we journeyed throughout the day, got to Abakaliki around 8pm and the driver arrogantly told us he isn’t going to CRS again, he wants to sleep – we started a shouting match before another driver rescued us and took us to Ikom where we slept. Woke up very early, took a cab to Obubra Camp. 

Camp life

Landed in camp about 8am, started registration, ended about past 12 midnight the following day (that was the longest 16 hours of my life). Finally settled in for camp; the first few days were hectic as we were just adjusting to the schedule and rigors of the camp. Our soldiers were very nice and they really helped us in adjusting to camp life.

 I partook in camp activities – kitchen duty, sanitation, I also represented my platoon at the quiz competition. I didn’t have any camp babe but had some nice female friends that we ‘attend’ lectures together, we also spent some times at mami. BVs, one particular incident happened – we were out for socials, the soldiers were apparently drunk, they invaded the hostels and poured buckets of water on people’s beds. 

 Some CMs had their phones, certificates etc wet. It almost led to a riot in camp but it was quickly resolved, it was then we knew that NYSC has brand new mattresses because they had to replace the wet ones to avoid trouble. The soldiers involved were fished out and sent out of camp. Stella, I was one of those who went to beg the State Coordinator to forgive them. The soldiers were touched at our gesture and they became nicer than before.


Posting

In camp, I had the opportunity to influence my posting but I didn’t, I was posted to Akpet Community Secondary School, Akpet Central, Biase L G. I got an over expensive cab to Biase and I immediately regretted not influencing my posting. It’s a very rural community and I was told to be happy because ’that’s the best place in the LG’. I got to the school and was told they have no accommodation no allowance nothing at all. As a child of God, I agreed and prayed that God should take control.



Life in Biase

Life in Akpet was a different thing entirely; they have light a few hours in a month, the network there was poor, most of the inhabitants aren’t too educated so most of them fidget when they are around you. They were mostly farmers and are quite generous with their produce. They are friendly but could be very dangerous.

 We were warned to be careful of their girls, most of them are either HIV + or evil or both. I took solace in the local church I was attending, I was the bible study coordinator and it made me a steady recipient of plantain, garri and plam oil. Mondays to Saturdays are usually boring but Sundays are always bubbling as it’s their flexing day – they come out in their ‘gucci’ attires and enjoy the day.

In school, my first trouble was when I introduced myself and the students told me my name isn’t complete ‘cos I gave them two names instead of three. I taught Economics as against the long list of subjects I was given to teach. I also taught the students Yoruba language, computer and general studies during their free time. Some of the students were ready to learn but a large number of them just want to go home. 

I convinced the school authority to fix their computer lab so that I can train the students – we were still working on it when some students came and bugled the lab and stole computers and other parts; they were caught.




Conclusion
I really appreciate my time at CRS, it opened my eye to the other side of Nigeria. NYSC made me realise that Nigeria is a conglomerate of Nations; many of the people there know nothing about the Yorubas; they feel Yoruba is a place, you hear things like ‘…when you go back to Yoruba…’. They also don’t believe you can ‘come from Lagos’ as Lagos is a no mans’ land.


I feel the scheme should not be scrapped. It should just be amended to make corps members serve in places related to their course of study and not compulsory teaching jobs.

Hope I didn’t waste your time? I will be in the comments section waiting for your comments.

*Abeg why was everyone asking you to be careful?I dont know oh!!!