NYSC - national delay or service? Answer
I decided that the answer to that question is national service some weeks ago. Now I have changed my mind. It is National delay.
After posting us (four corpers) for three weeks [an old secretary tells us to 'come back' with four working days interval, each time] the Railway Technical School, under the auspices of The Railway Corporation, Nigeria, decided that they did not need us.
So, I have been rejected from my place of primary assignment.
Just when I had decided that I could try my hand at teaching (six footers with baritone voices), and take some certification exams as well, I am told that the Nigerian Railway Corporation cannot afford to pay four corpers five thousand naira, and so we have been rejected.
Nigeria we serve!
Now I am looking for a job - seriously searching for a job. I am thankful
After posting us (four corpers) for three weeks [an old secretary tells us to 'come back' with four working days interval, each time] the Railway Technical School, under the auspices of The Railway Corporation, Nigeria, decided that they did not need us.
So, I have been rejected from my place of primary assignment.
Just when I had decided that I could try my hand at teaching (six footers with baritone voices), and take some certification exams as well, I am told that the Nigerian Railway Corporation cannot afford to pay four corpers five thousand naira, and so we have been rejected.
Nigeria we serve!
Now I am looking for a job - seriously searching for a job. I am thankful
Comments
You see, it doesnt make sense at all to have people waste one whole year of their lives earning rubbish, most especially when financial responsibilities abound. Like you aptly put it, your earnings are the equivalent of a primary school boy's lunch money, and is hardly enough to settle you down in your place of service.
I have a friend whose dad left them at a very early age. Unfortunately, she lost her mum in her final year. And her mum wasnt Nigerian, so it wasnt like she had relations on that end. In her final year, she had lots of issues to deal with, issues that would even burden me to hear her talk about it. She had to secure admission for her younger sister (including paying her fees). She had to look for money for their house rent, or else they'd be homeless. And in the midst of all these travails, she got posted to the north!
Another aspect to this thing is the age thing. I have got a friend who was in lag, she studied law, just came out of law school. She wasnt sent to camp. Not because she wasnt qualified. But because they said the camps were saturated. Apparently half of her class didnt go to camp.
So they have to wait for a while before they go. Now, this girl studied law for 5 academic years. Thats 6 years in real time (counting all the time spent at home on strikes). And she's spent a year in law school. Dont you think she has tarried enough? The most annoying thing is that when she finishes camp, some self-satisfied job-interviewer will tell her that she's past the age limit. Like its her fault.
Man, I could go on and on, but my opinion remains that the national service is national dulling oh!
Why does AGE have to be a factor in hiring people in Nigeria? Some time last week I stumbled into a column talking abt job openings in Nigeria, I kept seeing things like "25-30 yr old ONLY," but that does not make sense...what if there is a 21 yr old or 36 yr old out there who is more intelligent and qualified 4 the job???? What's all this deal abt "age"?
God pls help this country. I don't want to give up!
The average company wants cheap labour that will cost next to nothing. What do they do? They write to NYSC, and request for corpers. These corpers start and do serious grunt work, their workload is no different from the workload of the non-corpers in entry level. But at the end, what do they have to show for it?
True to the exploitative nature, the employers of labour use the carrot and the stick method, dangling before the corper, the hope of retention after the service year. This now spurs on the already overworked corper to push his already stretched limits, in order to get retained by the company. Needless to say, less than 20% of corpers in Nigeria get retained at the end of the service year. So what was the point of the entire slave-labour? The point is that the companies have gotten 365 days of slave-labour, almost free!
Meanwhile, these workers are not privy to benefits available to full staff (health and stuff).
Annoying man!
And the age issue? Dont get me started. I've got some friends who have resorted to altering their CVs, reducing their ages so as to be considered. Why does that have to happen? Does a person automatically become stupid on his/her 26th birthday? I've got this friend who finished serving two years ago, searching for a job, nothing forthcoming. Meanwhile, time ticks on, oblivious. The longer she stayed without a job, the closer she was getting to the age of stupidity (as implied by banks and co.) She actually went for a job interview where the interviewer told her outright that she was just perfect, apart from the age factor, then went ahead to give her some bull about 'company policy'
Its a sad situation. Really, it is.
We no go give up sha.
u r almost done
these horrors stories r scaring mii ooooooooo
Nah, no fear. No matter how bad it is, realise that you're not the first person to go thru the experience. I'm not justifying it in any way o, but at least, there's some solace to be gotten there.
For me, the sole advantage of NYSC lies in the diversity of people you get to meet. Thats where the trips lie.
So, no fear, nothing dey happen, sebi na ordinary nysc? lol
I wish someone would cut it all short to just those three weeks of torture. That way the real reason the corps was created will still be achieved - meeting other Nigerians from everywhere. After that we should be allowed to go our separate ways and go on with life.
That is my suggestion.
I actually think they should increase the 3 weeks to 6 weeks, then forget about the one year.
@Kafo,
The truth is that though there was some kine sufferhead in nysc camp, if I had the opportunity to go thru it again, I would cheerfully, because ultimately, it was so much fun! Thats why I think it should be increased to 6 weeks. Its just the exploitation that takes place in the subsequent year that I'm strongly against.