The cab driver was worried when I asked him to take me down the hilly part in fact to stop me at the gate, promising to increase his charges. He did, but when I realized that all the prospective corps members I saw on motorcycle while approaching to the camp gate and the ones I saw outside the gate when we arrived there were all carrying bucket and pool bucket, I marveled in worries.
“You couldn’t remind me to buy bucket,” I blamed the cab driver. “I thought you had a plan, I wandered why you didn’t bother to get one,” he said. This time he had to take me back to the junction promising to increase his charges. “I thought I would get it inside that was my plan but as it stands I don’t think it would be easy, perhaps if I were able to get inside it might be expensive. Let’s go back,” I said. He was not a troublesome person, my love for Anambra began to grow. The cab driver was a peaceful young man. Though I promised to increase his charges but I still believed he was kind and considerate, accommodating and tolerance.
If you don't want to miss your path in life, try to find yourself.
At the junction, hawkers were flagging and throwing their goods at us. Forcing them in my hand through the cab window. But the price was much compared to the normal prices such things were sold. When I was bidding for the price of the things I needed, though consuming his time relaxing as if it were my private car. If he was worried he didn’t show it. It was when I overused time that he advised me to buy from them so that we could continue. I listened to him. We moved the taxi cab and I got myself in front of the camp gate again.
I could see some soldiers; I couldn't count the number of soldiers but one of the female soldiers watched me came down from the taxi. I saw two boys in front of me. There was other prospective corps members jumping down from motorcycle one after the other. That was their bus stop. "You are welcome," the female soldier welcomed me. It was such a warm reception. Even without her giving me a billion dollar I felt fulfilled. Her greeting gave me confidence. I thanked her
“Let the boy help you with your bag" she said to me after welcoming me. Mopping confusingly trying to figure out what was going on, so soldiers could be friendly after all. Then I tried to gauge myself with some reserved courage. I kept my cool. I didn't want her to notice. I tried to deny the kids their offer but later asked, “How much will you collect to carry the bag,” anything you have you can give us,” they said. I was like wow, what an offer! You can have it but carry it with carefulness," I lifted one of my bags on one of the boys' head. Their service for me began. They rendered me service like a queen. Following me behind and stopping where I stopped. I was amazed. I said to myself "Is it how this NYSC is? I bet I would enjoy my camping here in Umunya. Oyi Local Government here I come," I soliloquized.
He is a portion of loveliness which he made more lovely. Shelley
We had to walk down to the gate because no vehicle was allowed to cross that point. When the cab driver dropped me. I later realized that those motorcyclists charged those prospective corps members huge amount because it was their first time they never knew how short the distance was from that Umunya junction to the bus stop which was the camp first gate. The supposed amount to be charged for such a journey was #100 but they charged many #500. Hence that cab driver charged me less. Those motorcyclists took advantage of the ignorance of the prospective corps members. "If it were like this outside, then it would be worse inside the camp," I thought.
Walking a short distance I saw a queue before the camp gate. I stopped and queued up. Arriving at the camp gate, a checkpoint.
At the gate, a security operative would check your luggage in case you wanted to bring in prohibited items. Prospective corps members were asked if they had any objective or prohibited substance. “Saying no or hiding something weaponry or shape object that goes against camp regulation, may cost you more more harm than good if peradventure you are found guilty.” So nobody wants to be a scalp goat nobody would want to be caught in such indisciplinary act at least not this early morning.
No doubt some strong heads went in with shape objects but I played cool head and gave the comperse that accompanied my masset. Are you an architect, this one you came with mathematics equipment,” one of the male security asked. I smiled and proceeded. Also the security operative were checking prospective corps members call up letter and to identify the state NYSC orientation camp. If unfortunately they prospective call member was not supposed to be at that particular camp or the person was using an old call up letter, they would have no option than to send him or her back. They may also decide to check they have the necessary documents. Some people were sent home from here to get the complete items.
When I entered the camp gate, the environment was not enticing. I was not impressed with what my eyes saw, though I had no option, I had come is that I had come. The first place I saw was two NYSC officials round a table, a place for accommodations registration to register for accommodation. I had to get accommodation first to help me drop my bag. It would relieve me of disturbance and distractions I might get from carrying my bags around. Now I had already envisaged how stressful it was going to be.
Hurry up, it’s getting late. Since last night you have been preparing for this journey. What is still withholding you in there?” Dad asked. He was waiting for me outside for hours. My elder brother, Michael was actually trying to tell them that the journey is not far. He went ahead to discourage me to stay more day that some will even come the day of inauguration. He knew how to make things look easy. Though he had once had the experience when he was deployed to Abuja on June 2013. But I love people who gave me morale and ginger me to do things and I like doing things at the right time when others are doing it. I also believed in doing the right thing at the right time. I am not others so I hate it when people try to compare me with others especially when it comes to unserious people.
Now I was convinced that he was trying to dull my movement so I hurriedly packed my luggage. “Anambra is here, why hurrying,” Michael said. I ignored him and walked to the pack with my dad. He helped me with one of my bags while I backed one. I wasn’t good looking, I had actually gone out of shape. I used to be pumping, very skinny and fair, very beautiful to behold but I was set to go to camp losing my normal self. Looking very shapeless and ugly. That moment was really bad. I couldn't recognize myself in the mirror anymore. I knew I went through a lot of horrible and emotional depression and experiences. Something must have caused this new look and negative change. Read this, "How I almost lost my sanity"
We left, when we got to the junction, we entered a keke napep which took us to Uratta market where we got another to get to Azikiwe road. I was still doubting I was going to camp when my dad stopped another to take us to Adam and Eve moto, I wasn’t still convinced I was leaving my parents and family to go away for a three weeks camp. The one in a life time event. It had not happened if not once when I was taking senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Which I actually took some miles away from my school. My parents actually agreed to the decision of my camping for two weeks for my WAEC because that was the only option the school gave us to enable us concentrate. Our parents are too possessive of us, they would never want to hear that we are leaving the house to travel talk more of going to stay away for good. That wasn’t a funny experience especially when we see others that were going to boarding school, leaving outside their family houses. It made not not to be socially exposed.
Wearing all that weight of learning like a flower. Tennyson
The truth remains that we had tough time living under their hostility. I and my siblings frowned at this and felt deprived of freedom of liberty and movement. Though I came home from the examination with ugly experience, the hostel I went for the examination. Because I was not used to leaving away from home I found it difficult to adjust coupled with the fact that I was a introvert. I found it difficult to adapt to new environments. It was a lawless place, students were misbehaving at night. Most nights male and female students were caught ether by the proprietor or wife or security.
I never heard this amoral behavior until later because I was always in the hostel reading. Most times they were caught kissing, hugging each other and other immoral acts behind the male hostel every night. My classmates never played amorous game kn ne because I was hard on them, they knew and were always scared of coming close to me. I was very strict mere looking at my eyes they got scared of coming close though I was friendly to everyone but preferred playing with me from a distance. It was greetings and waving of hands in the air not close rapport except with few female classmates who were close to me especially Chinwendu but we weren’t intimate. It was cordial though because I wasn’t willing to keep people who would have close watch at my every move.
When we got to Adam and Eve, I met a ticket agent. “I’m going to Awka, orientation camp Umunya, Oyi Local Government Area. “I know the camp, he gave me directions where their bus would stop and how I would find my way "When you come down at Oyi, opopo junction, you will enter a motorcycle or keke that will take you to Orientation camp Umunya,” he said. He handed my ticket to me #1500. My dad helped me with the luggage to the bus.
Everybody going to that bus stop conveyed, we entered the bus and I waved hands at my dad as he bade me safe journey and nice experience, before our bus departed. How a stranger paid for my fare from opopo junction to Umunya, Oyi Local Government but I was surprised to noticed the cab driver took us to the local government instead of the orientation camp. Though I acknowledged the driver's patience, only that he increased my charges to make sure I was taken to the camp. He was selfless. After driving round Umunya, I was at the camp junction at last. Looking at the hill, it was hilly in some part and sloppy at the other side.
Once I arrived at Umunya, still at the gate where the officials were checking prospective corps members if they came with weapon or any sharp object. It was prohibited to entered camp with any sharp object such as scissors, knife, pin, needle. Anything the spikes, that could prickle and hurt someone. They were about five queues at the checkpoint. If they collected anything from you which wasn't allowed to go in with, you would write your name in the book, so that by the end of the 21 days in camp, you would be able to claim your properties before leaving the camp.
When you think all hope is lost, for a determined soul the existence of impossibility can't be proved.
"At last I am here," I said to myself. I lit up with a smile but there was a problem. I wouldn't want to experience what I went through when I once camped in the school hostel to write my West African Examination council—Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. How I returned from the two weeks examination with ugly experience. Read also, How I felt on my first parade. I had ugly experience. The negative effect manifested in me. My mouth couldn’t tell what my eyes saw. I didn't go to the camp with any provision but 10 cups of rice, five small tins of tomato paste. I remembered I was also given some cups of garri. When I saw my class mates enjoying themselves, it could feel good and enjoyable when you have what to satisfy it. They came with enough foodstuff, beverages and different kind of drinks. It was my first time knowkng about "Nestle Golden morn" it was there I saw one of my classmates from the other campus, I wasn't familiar with her anyway but she came to enjoy herself.
I learned from her how to prepare golden morn for the first time. I had never had the taste of Nestle Golden Morn until that day, at my age? Laughable indeed! So I watched her closely as she prepared the Golden Morn. "She poured water in the kettle and boiled it. She heat up the water to her preference. She brought a bowl and poured in the boiled water. Add in the milk into the water and mixed till it dissolved. Add sugar to the milky water. Then, final step was that she poured in the Golden Morn and stir till it dissolved totally." I mopped at her gulping the Nestle and it looked so yummy and irresistible.
I thought of how to manage myself with the little foodstuff my parents gave me, the only money they gave me was my transport fare. Though my concern was to take my examination successfully but then, one had to eat to be able to think well and concentrate to write examination. A hungry stomach cannot have a clear head for reading.
Obumneke was my close friend who lived with her aunty and family in our neighborhood. We came from Merit Base Secondary School, campus 2. I had my bed close to hers, so that we would be close and as well be able to look out for each other. When we were at the female hostel, I saw Obumneke was one girl living my ideal lifestyle. We gave deaf ears to the amoral activities going on in the hostel. For both of us, it was ear bleeding and against our moral ethics. We wondered how our classmates lost moral etiquette and we couldn't explain it. Even when the female hostel was separated from the male hostel, some girls would leave female hostel to sneak into a male hostel. And most nights hanging around secret corners to kiss and caress themselves. Touching their sensitive organs and all sorts of immoral behaviours.
Our attitude is a stronger indicator of our physical recovery than our physical status or prognosis. Ben Carson
Obumneke was a godly girl. She was living with her elder sister who was a petty trader who had a kiosk and it helped Obumneke to get some beverages to the camp. I leaned on her when mine finished. I benefited from her, especially at night I would pour the garri into a plate and I would beg her for milk and bournvita, "take from my bag," she would say to me. I would take my desired teaspoonfuls. I really benefited from Obumneke. But remembering it I felt ashamed and wouldn't want that to repeat itself here in Umunya Camp.
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