MY SPECIAL MOMENTS (Part 2) - Life As a Corps Member (1)

Sequel to MY SPECIAL MOMENTS (Part 1), this write-up is a summary of what happened in one year of my life.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is an organization set up by Nigerian government to involve the country's graduates in the development of he country.

This organization was instituted on 22nd May, 1973, which has since then coordinated the activities of corps members from every state, including Abuja (FCT), for their one year service. This includes Higher National Diploma graduates and Bachelor's degree graduates from polytechnics and universities respectively.

Prospective corps members are deployed to states other than their places of origin. Meanwhile, married women and corps members with terrible health conditions are being allowed to apply for relocation.

The scheme has four cardinal points:

(1) Camp Orientation Course

This usually takes 21 days in 37 camps nationwide. Military officers and man o' war officers are being deployed to different camps to drill corps membets to make them fit as well as instill discipline in them.

There are a line up of activities that take place in camp. These include swearing-in ceremony, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development programme, man o'war drills, parades, carnival, among others.

It is a great privilege for people from different states, ethnic groups, backgrounds to socialise and make friends with one another. It is one of the most important ways of promoting peace, unity and inter-ethnic marriage in the nation.

My experience on camp was such a memorable one. It was fun to participate in inter-platoon competitions like cooking competition, dance/drama competition, sports and others. The Orientation Broadcasting Service was there to keep camp alive and mami market was there with varieties of food to enjoy, for those who did not like camp food. It was a clarion meant to be responded to under the sun or in the rain with dedication and selflessness.

(2) Place of Primary Assignment

This is just the next stage after camp experience. Corps members are being posted to schools, non-governmental organizations, ministries, and so on.

For me, it was not easy teaching in a secondary school in Zamfara state due to language barrier. The students understood more of Hausa language than English. This made teaching Chemistry in Government Girls' Day Secondary School, Gusau, Zamfara State a tedious job.

Nevertheless, I had a bit of uncouragement from those who had a fairly good primary educational background and could cope with my classes.

But my joy is that, generally, I left them better than the way I met them, and I really miss those who showed more interest in my subject throughout my stay over there.

To be continued...