JessiliciousJes:
PART 8

It was indeed a TGIS. A truly blessed sunday. The day started out so perfect but ended in the worst way ever.
From the beginning, i slept like never before(no waking up early,no parade, no nothing). Didnt even bother going to church. I slept till 8am, something i hadnt done in a very long time and it really felt good. Breakfast was bread with boiled egg and tea(as usual didnt bother taking tea). While others went to their various churches, i continued resting/sleeping(abeg i tire, God forgive me ). In the afternoon after church ended, lunch was rice and stew with FRIED CHICKEN(Omor!!! The chicken big die!) Although the stew wasnt as good as others they've cooked but the chicken covered every fault. Well, it was such a good day that it felt like christmas. Everyone focused on what they really wanted to do. Some washing, others flexing with guys(while i still slept ). It felt like a vacation. After sleeping and waking up like four times, i went to watch my platoon girls compete with the other platoon in a game of volleyball. As i reach there i just hear say the other platoon don beat us tire. I no just bother myself to play. I just dey background dey laugh at mistakes dem dey make. At the end, they won us. I then transfer myself go football field to watch the match between my platoon guys and another platoon. On reaching there, we were leading with 2-1(what a relief! We are not complete losers after all ). The match ended with 2-1. We did our jubilation and all.
For dinner, we had garri and egusi soup with fish. After i ate dinner, i heard that OBS organized a welcome party for corpers (welcome party kwa??!! After we don spend one week for camp ). Anyways i carry my two left legs to the hall, found a bench and yanshed down. Sleep full my eye but i was determined to see the end of it. The party started horribly. Lots of delays. Finally when party decided to start the first performer was called. Lol, the girl wey wan perform dey form Rihanna . The Dj played man down by rihanna with the lyrics playing loud while she murmured in the background(for the girl mind we be fools ).Trust Nigerian youths to laugh and boo her out of the stage . Second performer came up and was break dancing(or so he thought ). He moved liked someone convulsing . At a point, he somersaulted and landed with his neck on the floor almost breaking it . Chai! This guy wan die on top NYSC sha He was booed away as usual. At this point i just dey wonder why i come this party. Third performer came and all the guys were cheering his name and for mind i thought he was going to be a great performer. For where!!! He was just a basketmouth wannabe. He was just saying jokes wey dry like stock fish. Kai menini!!! Warrisdis? The same guys who hailed him when he entered the stage were the first to sing, "rain rain go away, come again another day". Lmao, Nigerians are really wicked. As we dey peacefully boo the guy, the NYSC state coordinator entered(for my mind wettin this wan dey find for here , abi he miss road?). He said we should keep quiet that he wanted to talk to us. Trust guys! Dem still dey make noise for the other corner of the hall. He then ordered everyone at that corner(those included and those not included o) to come out and sit in front of the stage. Omor see silence. I just dey thank God say i no dey that corner . See falling of hand. He called an NYSC official to write their state code numbers. Chai!!! Even me com dey fear for dem sef. Everyone was seriously pissed. Wettin this man com find for here now The state coordinator started talking. He said that they(the officials and soldiers) have been playing with us too much that is why we are disobedient(Playing ke?! So na play una dey play since?). He then ordered every soldier into the hall. Omor see para! see wahala! He told the soldiers to stop playing with us and deal with us whenever we misbehave. The soldiers just dey feel fly, dey happy say he don give them order to dey deal with us. Mehn!!! I just weak.
After collecting their state code numbers, the official began calling them out for them to show evidence that it was truly their numbers. Lol, Im pretty sure they didnt hexperrit . When half the number had been checked, it reached this guy's turn. His number was called but no one answered. All of a sudden this girl from outside run enter inside the hall come talk say na her number. Lol. See as people bust laugh . That guy wicked sha. She showed evidence that it was her number and that number was cancelled. They sha continued till they finished. Then the state coordinator turned to us to give us speech(Nna eh! Werrin this parry don turn into na? ). After the speech he just said, "this party is dismissed". Everyone just dey sigh and grumble as dem dey leave the hall. It was after 10pm by now. When i entered the hostel, see another para. The soldiers and man o war officials just come to show themselves. They just shouted and shouted that we should sleep(na my force again), they dont want to see anyone walking about(wettin com do the girls wey dey baff outside ni?) and they didnt want to hear any noise. Ok o. For my room, we just closed the doors so we go go sleep peacefully. Na im one girl just run enter inside. Omor see as the other girls wan chop am raw . They rake am no be small. "Is this your room?! Why do you want to implicate us?! U dey crase?! Why u enter here when dem dey pursue you?!" Lol . You wont belive the girl's answer. She said, "they are not pursuing me o, i just came to hide". Shuu!!! If dem no dey pursue you why you wan hide ni?? Lwkmd!!! See logic o . Confusion scatter the babe's brain. Chaii!!! Laugh no gree me again. The girl by the door just rake the girl pursue am commot. Lol, at this point in time everyone na from 'OYO' state o. No time for implication when we no be 2face. Na bad samaritans we be o. We no send for that room. Mehn i love my room girls . I come hear later say while we were having our "supposed" party, some girls in the hostel killed a snake(snake ke?!!! could this night get any worse?) At the end of it all, we sha sleep like say nothing happen.

nice one babe. you still don't wanna say what platoon you are in. well, we were in the kitchen when all these happened. buh watched it all from the obs door.. the man efd big time..

This write-up brings back some nostalgic feelings...I was posted to Taraba in 2011 Batch B,my set were the last set that used the polytechnic in Wukari as orientation camp following the conversion of the school to a Federal University of Technology by the FG under the last administration. Camp really 'came to life' in the second and third week. I was posted to a secondary school the 'dreaded' town called GEMBU(where I call the coldest part of Naija as I eventually got to find out)in sardauna local govt. Gembu was fun, I love cold weather but Gembu gave me 'run for my money' mehn! Gosh! Mehn those guys love and respect corpers a lot(cant say about now though), everywhere we went then with our kaki,nysc vest or jungle-boot, be it an office,school, market,churches or mosques we were accorded so much respect. To me,the kaki exuded an aura of EXCELLENCE such as i can equate to being "a celebrity" sort of . Kai, I adapted almost immediately, picking up the local language known as FUFULDE where whenever anyone asks about your well being, ya response should just be 'JAM'. Chai,farming is their way, lots of corn,millets, brown beans,cassava,guava,tomato,tea plantation at NGURUOJE(HIGHLAND TEA) such a beautiful place, to mention a few.Then there is GECHAAN(a centre built by a faith-based organisation for people living with HIV/AIDS),their sponsors are majorly USAID. Men,my students loved us cos we taught them with so much intensity and tried our best to instill in them the 'can-do it' mentality. Many of them still call me to ask about my well being,teachers and student alike(even after years after my service year). I now belong to the school of thought that says,'never judge a book by its cover.' So many fond memories of Gembu ,I think am gonna do an epistle of my service year in Gembu so I can shed more light. Call the town backward,but the raw-feeling of nature at its peak cant be compared with anything else. So OP if you are posted to Gembu,just relax ya mind and enjoy your service year jare,am sure you'll thank me later,cheers! Shout out to all past and present corp members serving(or served) in Gembu Sardauna Local Govt,Taraba State,North Central Nigeria. ( Shout out to NCCF Gembu ...It was a great journey to the mambilla plateau!

Platoon 7

nice one.... your write-up get swag

following...

Rinzman:
This write-up brings back some nostalgic feelings...I was posted to Taraba in 2011 Batch B,my set were the last set that used the polytechnic in Wukari as orientation camp following the conversion of the school to a Federal University of Technology by the FG under the last administration. Camp really 'came to life' in the second and third week. I was posted to a secondary school the 'dreaded' town called GEMBU(where I call the coldest part of Naija as I eventually got to find out)in sardauna local govt. Gembu was fun, I love cold weather but Gembu gave me 'run for my money' mehn! Gosh! Mehn those guys love and respect corpers a lot(cant say about now though), everywhere we went then with our kaki,nysc vest or jungle-boot, be it an office,school, market,churches or mosques we were accorded so much respect. To me,the kaki exuded an aura of EXCELLENCE such as i can equate to being "a celebrity" sort of . Kai, I adapted almost immediately, picking up the local language known as FUFULDE where whenever anyone asks about your well being, ya response should just be 'JAM'. Chai,farming is their way, lots of corn,millets, brown beans,cassava,guava,tomato,tea plantation at NGURUOJE(HIGHLAND TEA) such a beautiful place, to mention a few.Then there is GECHAAN(a centre built by a faith-based organisation for people living with HIV/AIDS),their sponsors are majorly USAID. Men,my students loved us cos we taught them with so much intensity and tried our best to instill in them the 'can-do it' mentality. Many of them still call me to ask about my well being,teachers and student alike(even after years after my service year). I now belong to the school of thought that says,'never judge a book by its cover.' So many fond memories of Gembu ,I think am gonna do an epistle of my service year in Gembu so I can shed more light. Call the town backward,but the raw-feeling of nature at its peak cant be compared with anything else. So OP if you are posted to Gembu,just relax ya mind and enjoy your service year jare,am sure you'll thank me later,cheers! Shout out to all past and present corp members serving(or served) in Gembu Sardauna Local Govt,Taraba State,North Central Nigeria. ( Shout out to NCCF Gembu ...It was a great journey to the mambilla plateau!

Nice one.

You camped in Wukari exactly a year after my set (Batch B, 2010).

I served in Karim Lamido, but came all the way to Mambilla Plateau (lodged at a hotel in Gembu) to spend some time. That was a 16-hour journey (6 hours by road from K/Lamido to Jalingo; 10 hours from Jalingo to Gembu). I would never have had the slightest inkling of how much I missed, had I not gone on that trip


Do you remember any or all of these features?

-**The Highland Tea factory is in KAKARA.. With vast a plantation of tea leaves (I noticed you said Nguroje. Nah)

- There is also a hydro-electric dam under construction in Kakara. The lake is such a beautiful sight.

- The Nigeria Football Federation has a high altitude training ground on the Mambilla Plateau (I think in MaiSamari, but can't remember precise location now)

- There are extensive areas of softwood plantation. I was told those beautiful trees were first planted on the plateau by white people. There is lumbering activity, and the characteristic vehicles used to transport planks on the plateau have a funny look (like wagons used by Nazi Germany to prosecute the Second World War )... Trucks that bring goods to Mambilla often take planks OR cattle back in return.

- If you stand for a while at NGUROJE, you would notice clouds drifting through the houses, including yourself... AND if you stand at a point you can observe the deep green valleys below, you would see clouds hanging in the air below the level where you stand

- When you talk in Nguroje, you observe a visible flow of steam from your mouth

- There are two houses (duplex) side by side in Gembu, said to each belong to Obasanjo and Atiku. The houses are on the steeps of a small hill

- The people of Mambilla have a peculiar type of basket they carry to farm. It has straps, and it is usually carried on the back, exactly the way one would carry a school bag.

- Because Gembu is just about 15 minutes to Cameroonian border by bike, there are lots of Cameroonians in Gembu. Cameroonian products also come in via that route. E.g. Drinks

- Abundance of very fresh and cheap fruits in Gembu

- There are no mosquitoes, unlike what you have elsewhere in Nigeria.

Sardauna LGA is the equivalent of Yankee in Nigeria. I wish I served there like you

One more thing, TR is in NORTH-EASTERN Nigeria, not north-central.

Cheers bro!

JessiliciousJes:
Platoon 7

Hope you'll remain in jalingo so that we acquaint. I work at FMC

Am waiting...............

Please what are the necessary documents and important/or neccessary things to buy or take along to camp....thnks.

Good day y'all... We live in an era of so much information technology but so little information. Our androids are tools with which we worship Kim kardashian and amber rose. Let's try and help ourselves. A single article might be d stepping stone to breakfree from a life of unrealized mediocrity. Take a moment to check out http://corpersinsider.com and be sure to visit on daily basis for you mugshot of inspiration and motivation. #StayWinning!

nice story nice story

nas00:


Nice one.

You camped in Wukari exactly a year after my set (Batch B, 2010).

I served in Karim Lamido, but came all the way to Mambilla Plateau (lodged at a hotel in Gembu) to spend some time. That was a 16-hour journey (6 hours by road from K/Lamido to Jalingo; 10 hours from Jalingo to Gembu). I would never have had the slightest inkling of how much I missed, had I not gone on that trip


Do you remember any or all of these features?

-**The Highland Tea factory is in KAKARA.. With vast a plantation of tea leaves (I noticed you said Nguroje. Nah)

- There is also a hydro-electric dam under construction in Kakara. The lake is such a beautiful sight.

- The Nigeria Football Federation has a high altitude training ground on the Mambilla Plateau (I think in MaiSamari, but can't remember precise location now)

- There are extensive areas of softwood plantation. I was told those beautiful trees were first planted on the plateau by white people. There is lumbering activity, and the characteristic vehicles used to transport planks on the plateau have a funny look (like wagons used by Nazi Germany to prosecute the Second World War )... Trucks that bring goods to Mambilla often take planks OR cattle back in return.

- If you stand for a while at NGUROJE, you would notice clouds drifting through the houses, including yourself... AND if you stand at a point you can observe the deep green valleys below, you would see clouds hanging in the air below the level where you stand

- When you talk in Nguroje, you observe a visible flow of steam from your mouth

- There are two houses (duplex) side by side in Gembu, said to each belong to Obasanjo and Atiku. The houses are on the steeps of a small hill

- The people of Mambilla have a peculiar type of basket they carry to farm. It has straps, and it is usually carried on the back, exactly the way one would carry a school bag.

- Because Gembu is just about 15 minutes to Cameroonian border by bike, there are lots of Cameroonians in Gembu. Cameroonian products also come in via that route. E.g. Drinks

- Abundance of very fresh and cheap fruits in Gembu

- There are no mosquitoes, unlike what you have elsewhere in Nigeria.

Sardauna LGA is the equivalent of Yankee in Nigeria. I wish I served there like you

One more thing, TR is in NORTH-EASTERN Nigeria, not north-central.

Cheers bro!

Thanks bro for the correction...It was a mix up, and you really expanded on my description of gembu town.

Leme was where our ATLANTA '96 gold medal heroes were camped but had their training elsewhere along gembu-nguruoje road.(Not too far from the camp though).

Nguruoje is really a cold place, with some record of daytime temperatures dropping to as low as 12-16 degrees(Celsius), its also popular for having a COW MARKET (every monday)where many herdsmen from all over the place display & sell their stock in large numbers to merchants and co. Trucks are loaded with purchased cows in huge numbers and transported to different parts of naija.

If you looking for adventure, gembu is the place to be...need I remind us that gembu has a high HIV prevalence rate. If you are in love with nature, gembu awaits you... I hope to do 'something on gembu soonest,cheers!

PART 9

Finally in Lag right now. My redeployment worked I got redeployed to Lagos. I have to say, i do miss my camping days This is my last piece on this particular article. After the so called welcome party that was a huge flop, so many other memorable events took place. Well, for one, i fell sick. Was down with malaria for a while. That was the first time i was glad i was sick. I had malaria, sore throat, cough, catarrh(only me ). So instead of going to parades early in the morning, i stayed back and slept away. One time, the female soldier saw me sleeping when she was searching the rooms, i told her i was sick and she told me to go to the clinic and stay there. Na so i dress and carry my things go clinic go lie down for the bed there. After three days (without going for parade) the malaria had subsided, i was feeling somewhat better. But that didnt stop me, i always stayed back during the parades with my drugs (wey i don already finish) on my bed just incase i get caught(make i know how i go formulate the lie). Most times in the morning i went to the clinic just for going sake or to charge my phone.
Another thing that happened was that the sockets in the female hostels were turned off (See wahala). Well as a sharp girl, i couldnt let the extension i brought waste like that so i went to the OBS to charge my chargables. From charging at the OBS, I started doing some little Dj-ing I automatically became a "default" member of the OBS and it was really fun. Constant charging and all. Met some really lovely people there, it was fun while it lasted.
Thirdly I became the room leader. It was a stressful piece of work. Female meeting all the time. I just tire for the whole thing.
I also joined SAED(Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development) in Interior and Exterior Decoration. I decided to join this particular program cos i plan to open my own event planning company some time in the future. There were other types such as makeup, cateering, hair dressing, fashion designing, beads making, etc. It's not compulssory but i would advice one joins cos i learned a lot. And all at a token of #700 naira for registration and handout.
There were lots of other events happening at that time. My platoon members went for man-o-war where we climed a tree, and crossed to another tree stepping on a single rope(lol!!! I wan die but it was really fun to do), we climbed nets, went under a barb wire and lots more.
We did social events like cultural dancing and drama which each platoon participated in. My platoon's drama and dance was WACK, although i was part of the drummers but it was a major flop. We also had jean carnival where we were to wear jean and white top with a mask. For those who didnt have jean, they went to mammy to buy fake jeans for 2k. Can you imagine? I didnt even bother myself, i just wore the black trouser i had.
The next day, we did camp fire night. Each platoon cooked food for their platoon. The camp provided us with raw meat and rice but it wasnt enough so we bought some other food stuffs from outside camp. After sweating in the kitchren and performing my tasting duties would you believe that the chicken didnt cross my lips. The camp officials who were supposed to only "taste" the food we presented decided to carry the whole tray of chicken. Can you imagine such greediness. I just wanted to die.
The next night we had our variety night which was sponsored by airtel. There were performances that were good and some that was a total joke, mr macho which was extremely fun to watch and laugh over , miss NYSC (one particular girl almost tripped and fell). I no fit laugh.
The next night was OBS private party which i attended just for the peppersoup and vodka
The next day was the D-day. We were to leave camp that day. And you wouldnt believe that some hadnt gotten their allowance including me And we now had to do the final parade for the governor's representative that same day. After waking up by 2am to submit my mattress and get the final clearance, i went to the point for the collection of allowee and stayed there for hours. The parade started really late in the afternoon. Those who hadnt collected allowee wasnt just in the mood at all. See constant running from parade ground to collection point. After the parade and long speech, they started giving allowance. Those that marched in the parade were given preferential treatment and lined up to collect first before others. Na for there i maneuver my small sef to that line o
After everything sha, everyone was given that day. Then those who didnt redeployed went to collect their posting letter. Na so so school dem just post almost everyone to. As for me i went to check the redeployment list to see where i was posted to. My heart was beating so fast but lo and behold i saw Lagos. Mehn!!!! See rejoicing. I thank God for everything. I just carry my big box, boarded a keke and left that camp. I first branched to fairplus park to book for a ticket straight to Lag before going to stay in my friend's place at jalingo for the night. Travelled to Lag the next day and arrived the next morning.
It was fun camping in jalingo.

PART 10

Thanking God for a successful and fun NYSC camp period. Thankful for the friends I made and the confidence i developed within myself. I got to meet a really new and stronger version of myself. Love everyone i met during my short stay at the OBS Dj-ing and even the doctors, pharmacists and nurse i met at the clinic while keeping you guys company/charging my phone/taking treatment for the malaria I developed. Love my room girls and it was fun being your room leader while it lasted. Shout out to the soldiers that made our stay miserable and fun. Shout out to my SAED colleagues and teacher in Interior and Exterior Decoration. A bigger shout out to my platoon members, I really loved and enjoyed you guys, Platoon 7 rocks. Shout out to the sun that made me blacker , not sure i will be missing you. Shout out to those i might have not mentioned and those that said i looked like a chinese/philippine and also to those that couldnt resist my natural charm or those that i gave my special shoulder massage . If i were to repeat this camping period, i would, as long as there are cleaner toilets and we are allowed to wake up whenever we want . I have to admit, towards the end i did wish our time together would be extended . It has been one of the most memorable and enlightening two weeks and two days of my life . I love you all from the bottom of my heart.
‪#‎NYSCCampADAMAWAInJALINGO‬

why u redeployed nah?

Pls,hw is the redolyment process like

op i enjoyed every bit of your story from the beginning till the end. You must be a god writer, kudos to you. i expected you to post pictures of your nysc expereince nah being the last part of your expereince in camp. Well, be that as it may i wish you a successful service year in lag.

op finally said your platoon. well was in four. was among the four guys that did a short 4 minute acapella on variety night. wanneda meet with u. buh no p. I'm redeployed to kogi Lokoja. serving in a cement company. catchya

I followed all ur Article my dear. ure truely a certified member of d OBS. #I WAS DIA LIFE# if u wia not dia as my state coordinator will say, u.. puu are wrong#

ThankGod at last I was finally relocated to my state of Choice Akwa_Ibom. couldn't manage dia tuwo, fura de nunu even dia scorpions,snakes and whether. my camp director 2 (the tallest corper) I greet u sir... ThankGod Peace is returning to adamawa as dey said... Now lets go to our last exercise #ijakirija...#

Meesquared:
op finally said your platoon. well was in four. was among the four guys that did a short 4 minute acapella on variety night. wanneda meet with u. buh no p. I'm redeployed to kogi Lokoja. serving in a cement company. catchya

I was in platoon 6,was in taraba wit u guyz,got posted to kogi too,abeg drop me ur number

Please how safe is Taraba state (n its LGA) n is it mainly Muslims even in all d LGA?

Edemab:
Pls,hw is the redolyment process like

Two forms would be given to choose the state of your choice for redeployment. Those who redeploy on health ground would be called to defend their health status to certified doctors. If they believe you are truly ill, you will be redeployed to the state of your choice, but if not, you will be posted to whereever they like.

congratulations on your redeployment to Lagos state, am happy for you.

SunnyJose:
congratulations on your redeployment to Lagos state, am happy for you.

Thanks

JessiliciousJes:

Two forms would be given to choose the state of your choice for redeployment. Those who redeploy on health ground would be called to defend their health status to certified doctors. If they believe you are truly ill, you will be redeployed to the state of your choice, but if not, you will be posted to whereever they like.

Alright thankz dear

Shout to Batch B corps member am yet to meet.

Please if you're currently serving in jalingo, please give me a beep on 08067069679.

nas00:
JessiliciousJes's: Nice thread and a cool way to unwind for you and us. I got interested in your story because, like you, I camped in TR and served there as well. That was 6 years ago, and the nysc camp then was within the Polytechnic, Wukari.

I had a lot of thrilling experience and stories to tell by the time I completed the year.

If you stay back for your service year after camp, try to set aside time and some money to visit these places:

1) Gashaka-Gumpti National Park

2) Mambilla Plateau (Popularly called Gembu). You will definitely hear about Gembu in camp. You may also hear about 'Snake Island' (Karim Lamido, where I served).

Guess what, a huge snake actually resided behind my apartment throughout my service year, but we gave each other mutual respect. Anytime I saw it, I never tried to attack it and it reciprocated my kind gesture till I left
I wish you a successful service year.

Cheers!

Bro you don't mean it, a huge snake behind your apartment and you both respected each other. Weird bro, does it really happen?