My deep regret from N.Y.S.C orientation camp I got married in my final year in the University of
Calabar and I was living peacefully with my
husband. We had agreed that we will not start
making babies until I came back from my
orientation camp. The plan was that I would
redeploy and return home to Calabar where we lived, as soon as the
orientation camp was over. A friend called me to say that posting was out so I
went to check and discovered I had been posted to
Yobe State. I
didn't know how my husband would take it. Well, I
didn't have to wait long to find out. “Rachael," he
screamed at the mention of Yobe state,
forgetting to call my pet name. "I can’t believe my
baby will be so far from me." I stared at him
wondering why he was
suddenly calling me 'baby', instead of the usual,
'Honey'. "No baby, you’re not going anywhere. It’s bad enought hat you will be gone for three weeks
but not that far.” “Don’t worry Honey, three weeks will pass before
you know it and I may not even stay till the three
weeks elapses, once I’m through with
the redeployment process I’ll be back,” I assured
him with my soothing words.` On the 3rd of February, 2011, I headed for Fika
camp in Fika Local Government Area, Yobe
State. I couldn't believe that I would sit in a bus for
a whole day in the name of NYSC. I wondered if this
was the
beginning of more suffering. I kept buying things on the road just to keep awake and listened to
music almost
throughout the journey. My loving husband called
me several times make sure I was ok, which was
really comforting. We arrived Fika in the night, I
didn’t see much houses but I was shocked when the driver stopped and
said “Madam we don reach the camp o” “Ah ah, which camp? Where the camp dey abeg, no
vex?” “Just pass this bush path, u go
come out for the other side of the road then enter
bus wey go carry u reach the camp gate, na just 30
naira” “My God I don enter last chance
o, bush path ke.” I came down from the bus and immediately called my husband. “Whaaaat!”
He screamed from the other end of the phone. “My
love please don’t go there this
night, sleep in a hotel and go tomorrow, I’ll send
you more money tomorrow please.” My
husband was so worried so I told him to keep talking with me on the phone while I walked
through the path and
thank God I didn’t have much luggage with me, just
a box. We spoke till I got a bus and when I reached
the gate of the
camp, I said to myself ‘I don come youth service, no be small’. The place was so dry, the security men at
the gate were annoying and barely understood
English. I stood there absorbing the misery around
me until another officer
came to my aid and I was able to enter the camp. I met my first and only friend on camp that night as
she welcomed me with so much joy, to my greatest
surprise
she was also married. That was our first point of
similarity. In the morning, she gave me a bucket of
water to have my bath and I was so grateful for meeting such a nice person.
“It’s time for morning meditation! Everybody out!” People started running out so I ran along but I
suddenly discovered I had forgotten my ring on my
bed so I turned
round and began running back. I had to go and
get my ring. It kept me close to my sweetheart. I
pleaded with the Civil Defence Corp officer that had come to chase us from the hostel. Luckily he
permitted me to go back to the hostel to retrieve my
ring. While on the meditation ground, I was not
interested in whatever was going on, I was missing
my sweetheart and I just wanted
to hear his voice. “…under the sun or in the rain” was the next thing I heard and I said to myself
“who is doing
this one with them, who says youth service is
punishment? Anyway, I’ll soon redeploy so that line is not for
me”. That
was the only line of the N.Y.S.C anthem I grasped
that morning during the morning meditation. After
the morning
meditation we headed to the parade ground for the morning drill which was to be organized by the
platoon commanders. I was in platoon eight and
my platoon commander was a short, dark but
handsome Yoruba man. It
went on and on like that and I started enjoying the camp, my husband would call me every day and to ask when I was coming back home “Honey when will you be back? I miss you” “Very soon my love, I’ve already begun working on my redeployment. I know you miss me and I miss you too” I replied. One day on the parade ground during morning
drills, we were asked to hop on one leg as part
of an exercise. My platoon commander came and stood in front of me, little did I know that he was interested in me. He took special interest in me and from that day we became friends, he would take me to mammy and spoil me
with food and drinks. When it was time for morning
drills, he would stand in front of me. well, when
there was a corporal punishment, he would
exempt me, while others attended seminars I
would be in his room watching movies with his laptop. I
began to get emotionally attached to him. One day
when my husband called I told him I was in a
seminar whereas I was seeing a movie in a man’s
room. I began to lie to my husband. One of these days while I was seeing a movie, Wale
came in and lay beside me. I didn’t realize he was
looking at me until he placed his hand on my back
because I lay on my chest with the laptop in front of
me.
“Will you do me a favour Rachael?” My heart raced
because I didn’t know what he wanted to ask for.
“Let me hear it first” “I know you are a married
woman but please, I don’t want you to go. I love
you.
Please, stay here with me.” I knew I liked him too but I didn’t say a word to him, I just smiled and
continued with the
movie but he wanted a reply and when I couldn’t
give him an answer, he held my face and kissed me,
I tried to resist
but my body wouldn’t let me. He took off my white t-shirt...then finally I gave in. We had sex that day
and the days that followed, I had taken off
my ring so that I won’t feel the guilt of extramarital
affair but
I couldn’t stop it. I was
enjoying it, I felt like a single lady again. This madness continued till I redeployed but I later
found out I was
pregnant. I had to abort it
before my husband found out and till date he
doesn’t know about it. I live with this guilt and
regret. Therefore, if I were to go back to N.Y.S.C orientation
camp, I’ll
protect my space and keep a respectable distance
from men
whether as a single lady or as a married one. Not
that I would not interact with men, but I would properly define my
relationship with every one of them and avoid
every unnecessary closeness, because closeness
with the opposite sex can lead to
intimacy without commitment.
Some married women take off their wedding ring simply because they want to satisfy their sexual
desire with another man. I did it and
believe me it doesn’t pay and it will not pay
anybody, all it does is to make you regret.
Now, I feel so heart broken when I hear what girls
and boys do on camp. That is why I have taken time to write my story. I just don’t want
those going to camp to become
victims of regret and guilt. I wish I never lacked the
virtue
of self control. I wish I knew that my wedding right
or my marital status was not a substitute for discipline, right boundaries, and firm
conviction. My want of ease and pleasure became
my Waterloo for disgrace and destruction. MY HUMBLE RESPONSE:Otondos, Better shine your
eyes well well. Don't mar your destiny in the name
of N.Y.S.C. Forsake not the assembly of the
believers. Be commited to worship with the people of God.

Chai!

Married women going for Camp are always unpredictable. Only those who are highly disciplined won't fall for such. I don't want to be judgemental.

Chai!

Married women going for Camp are always unpredictable. Only those who are highly disciplined won't fall for such. I don't want to be judgemental, its always a thing of choice.

@OP,,And how long do u think u can kep this secret away from him?? 20years or forever?? May God delivers us from temptation to sin

just pray to God for forgiveness

Wow what a story. Thank you for sharing, I know it will stay in the mind of anyone who reads it. It's a shame you had to pass through this to be able to warn others but just take heart.

cool story.. what will be will be.

It is well.....

hmm reminds me a married babe in my platoon , i had to say madam bros still dey ooo

u try well well,weldone