Decades: Chunks of Time

25 – 10 - 2007 21 st October, was the last daily entry I made. Today’s Thursday and I am not on the parade grounds. Why? Because I have malaria, I’m weak, tired and my whole body, including my hair roots, aches. Today there’s another drill competition and I’m praying for platoon 17 not to fail. We practiced this morning and we did rather well. We did so well yesterday that when the Commandant sneaked up on us, he asked if we had imported expatriates with excellent matching skills. I just had to buy Artesunat (Malaria treatment medication). I ate, took the medication and went to sleep in the clinic. I was supposed to participate in a meeting with the Camp Director and other Computer IT professionals again today but I could hardly get up to ease myself, not to talk of walking to the Pavilion to be part of the meeting. Since Monday I’ve been tired and weak and eating 3 square meals a day. After the second dream about Uncle T, I called him to ask how he was doing. Aunt Bunmi sent me a

21 – 10 – 2007 I slept and slept and slept. Ben woke me up with a call, that Kanny had been brought to the camp and he was almost through with arrangements to go home. We three girls practically ran to the clinic to see him. His Mum had picked them up at the General Hospital , brought them to camp, taken them to the hall to get Kanny’s things and the to the clinic to get his exeat. We girls were introduced to his mum and sister as the 3 Ds. I don’t think I had my bath all day. I’m not really sure. Others went to church but I didn’t. I just figured – we have two more Sundays and not one, in this camp. Imagine that. I head the State Coordinator and the Camp Commandant (Military) re at loggerheads and that the soldiers are on strike. Nice, if it means they wont be stressing us like they have been doing all last week. Tomorrow is Monday again *moan*…

The Commandant made people cry in the afternoon, and made people extremely angry in the night that day. At the welcome party, he refused to follow normal procedures. He made sure that the party was very dry. There was no welcome address, the MC was a joke, the DJ tried, but he was not coordinated. The jokes were very very dry. Imagine Warri jokes not making people laugh. The Commandant ordered each platoon to send a girl to dance with him, which means 18 girls from 18 platoons were to show up. When the MC got tired of calling and no one answering, he called out 18 girls. We all watched in disgust as the pot – bellied old man danced to P – Square’s “Temptation”, with the 18 girls rubbing his body. Eventually he got tired and left the stage. At least I can say I danced before the program commenced, with Alcatraz (there was a brief period of dancing before the program started officially). Earlier, after the evening drills, one Hausa guy came to ask for a dance – as in, formally. He was l

20 – 10 – 2007 21 – 6 = 15 more days to go. Sabbath Day. Platoon 17 assembled like all others, for drills this morning, but we were not happy. We jogged out of camp as usual, but in the other direction this time. A diesel tanker was inching along by our small clusters of platoons, on our way back, when the soldiers stopped him, an almost flogged him to death. It was a serious case of brutality. It brought back to my mind, a question I have been asking, “Who incorporated the Military Training into the NYSC programme? Why? Why weren’t other disciplinary organizations utilized, like Man – O – War?” Hopefully these questions will be answered someday. After the jogging was drills, after drills was breakfast and after breakfast was environmental sanitation. I was standing in the sun like the others, when I got a mysterious phone call. “Come to the State Director’s Lodge immediately”. I ran, really scared, towards the general direction of where the signs said it was located. When I go

I actually left the “alawi” queue to go and collect my lunch when I heard that it was gbegiri, ewedu and amala that we were having. I have not had gbegiri since…. I can remember. It was worth it – I enjoyed the meal. On the food queue I met a guy from Jos who had never tasted gbegiri since he was born an was curious as to its preparation and the whole combination. The lady from Plateau in front of him and I (behind him) took it upon ourselves to describe the preparation of ewedu and gbegiri. You should have seen his face when we told him tht a short broom is used to shred the leaves (yes, a broom. Its better that the modern blender. There’s a noticeable difference - traditional versus modern). We ladies giggled for minutes. After the meal, we had another HIV/AIDS lecture. I spent it trading tales of what the evil lecturers in Computer Science Department, University of Lagos . I happened to sit beside two of my classmates and another guy (Tos, who later joined our click) from our fa

18 – 10 – 2007 21 – 4 = 17 more days to go. Tired. Woke up tired. It drizzled on us in the parade ground yesterday. So so tired. Hippy helped me to get water – she should be the time keeper anytime its needed. The group has expanded – it now comprises of Ben, Kanny, Lola, Hippy, Alcatraz (he calls himself that, seriously!), and me. We were given an HIV/AIDS lecture after meditation and prayer today. My platoon will be conducting the meditation on Tuesday next week. We did more drills today. I think my feet are bloodless right now. I called Big Mum’s cousin here in Ede – I think I might grab the opportunity to go out on Saturday if I can.the platoons that com last in the drill competition (the last three) will come back to the field to drill again on Saturday. God knows I need to rest instead. They gave us our first “alawi” today (Corper allowance) = just one thousand five hundred naira (N1500) but the queue was exceedingly long. Uncle Wasiu (my ex – neighbor) came to my rescue

17 – 10 – 2007 21 – 3 = 18 more days to go. This is Hell camp. If you ever watched ‘Major Pain’, you’ll understand a part of what we are being put through here. We were out by four again this morning, only that there was zero activity until almost 6 a.m. – imagine that! Back to the field to march (is it march or match?) some more then pick up the surroundings. We were sent to our halls at about 9 a.m. to eat and get dressed. By 10 we were chased to the field to await the Governor’s arrival, the Governor that had not even had his bath by then. Finally the Deputy Governor showed. By noon we were through with the swearing in. The NYSC anthem has funny lyrics – let me give you some: Youth obey the clarion call (clarion?) Let us lift our nation high Under the sun or in the rain With dedication and selflessness Nigeria ’s ours Nigeria we serve. Now that is just the first stanza. The other three are worse, not worth mentioning at all. It seemed nice at first, and has a

16 – 10 – 2007 We were woken up by 4 a.m. and told to file out. Did I tell you I made a new friend? Actually I made many, but I stuck with a fellow Lagos Corper – Lola. She is also a Unilag graduate. I introduced her to Benny and Kanny, and eventually Tommy. After the morning prayer, we were taken on a drill. Its been long since I matched for AYM (Adventist Youth Ministry) and that was even voluntary. This is stress! We spent about four hours matching up and down, and learning how to come to attention – by number. I hate that procedure: the Drill Instructor shouts, “Attention by number!” and you raise your left leg, shouting, “One!”. When he shouts “Two!”, you reply “Two” and hit your foot hard on the ground. Aaaaarrrrggghhh! After the drill, it was time for breakfast and I was on the queue faithfully, only to discover that we were being served “Rock Buns” (that is what I could call the Akara (bean cakes) that we were given), and water – akamu (it was actually yellow lumpy pap). I

15 – 10 – 2007 Early rising. Benny and Kanny (two of my classmates were posted to the same camp but they didn't know how to get there, so I suggested they go with me. They are two dorks actually). The driver that Mum contracted to take us to camp also arrived early. By 6.45 a.m. we were on our way. Mum loaded us with disposable platefuls of rice and dodo and chicken (can you beat that?). The boys fell in love with her instantly. She also gave them garri. By a few minutes pas t 9 a.m. we had arrived. We passed through Ogun, Oyo and Osun states to get to Ede . Its ironic how I did my university education in Lagos and I'm now being posted to Lagos , then I'm from Osun state and I'm doing my Orientation in Osun state. Anyway, we got on our way and then the rigorous began at the camp gate. When we Lagos Corpers were seperated at the first part, I thought it was good, only to discover that they wanted to "show" us. By "they" I mean the soldiers here

14-10-2007 Well, tomorrow is the D - Day. I’m going to NYSC camp tomorrow. I still can’t believe it. And the one I can’t believe is Tit’s case. She’s not going for the third time she’s not going. Actually it’s the sixth time, you know, twice a year. And through no fault of her own. Her department in her school has been withdrawing the list of results that contains her name for three years in a row. Why, we don’t know. This time, her call – up letter is right there in the Student Affairs Office, and all the other twenty – nine students’. They can see it, but unless the department sends a copy of their results to the Students Affairs Office, they cannot be given their call – up letters. It’s a sad situation because its so obvious that its purely an act of wickedness. The problem is that the other twenty – nine are all suffering along with whoever the bastard lecturer(s) [ forgive my French here, but the word is the most appropriate I can find right now] want to punish. Now what st

Hi! I actually thought I notified the authorities here that I was going to Orientation camp, but reading through now I see that I didn't. I wonder what my punishment will be. I did as promised. I wrote everything that happened to me and several others at camp. And I am prepared to pour it all out. It was a bit awkward at first, having to write instead of type . I have some 13 pages to type for y'all, so be patient. I got back on Monday, and it was a relief that I was finally home. I could not breathe properly due to severe catarrh, I was coughing from deep within my chest, my headache was now a normal occurrence, the gums on the right hand side of my jaw were swollen, and my body was extremely weak, but I was home. I was in my father's house, finally. Today's Wednesday, and I am finally able to chew, but I thank God. I'll be back.........Soon.

It was the 23rd of September, and it was my birthday. I was happy, and at the same time I felt somehow - I felt old (yeah, rub it in Kafo !). I felt like I had passed a threshold and I could not go back. Hmm..let me try and talk like Kafo: On the 23rd of September .....It was the 23rd year......of my existence, on earth. On the 23rd of September.....I felt aged.......I felt old.....Not older, just OLD. On the 23rd of September.....I felt like I had crossed into.......another threshold. I felt like I had been walking through a tunnel.....like I had been searching for something.......a path, a key, a stronghold. To keep me safe.....a destination, a sense of belonging, a haven of love.......a feeling of fulfillment, the safety of a commitment. On the 23rd of September.....I searched myself, within my soul.......trying to find out if I had achieved my goals. I scanned my memory, my heart.....to ascertain the fact that I was close.......to be sure I had reached the end an

Well, I got called for another interview today. This one caught me unawares. One minute I was dozing in my room, the next I was wondering if I had dreamed the phone call. I even sent a text, explaining that I was not ready for such an impromptu interview, only to be told that it didn't matter if I was informally dressed or that I would appear late. I was to just come 'as I am'. I went. And for a few minutes, was almost regretting it. The interrogator com begin dey ask me textbook questions. I no even believe am. I graduated last year - over a year now, for Heaven's sakes. How I go dey remember everything dem teach me, when I cram to pass the finals in the first place? I just dey laugh. The man was surprised that I was not squirming, Then he began to check out my CV. and eventually was so surprised at what I had done that he began to ask how far away I lived from their office and other stuff. Then I mentioned NYSC. Yesterday's interviewer's reaction was small com