Kogi Speaker charges Corps members to make meaningful use of their service year

Rt. Hon. (Prince) Matthew Kolawole, Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly has paid an unscheduled visit to Corp Members posted to Benue and Taraba States but relocated to Asaya Camp, Kabba to have their three weeks orientation camp due to security challenges in both states.

According to him, he was in Kabba and got to know that the Corps members are in camp, hence his decision come and say hello and welcome them to his constituency.

He urged them to enjoy the good weather and serene environment of Kabba metropolis.

He advised them to take their service year serious as that might be the gateway to their success in their career in life.

Sharing his experiences when serve in 1997/98 he said, “I was posted to Abuja and during the three weeks Orientation Camp; I established what is called (OBS) Orientation Broadcasting Service where we broadcast live all events at the camp then.

I was rejected in 14 different places for my primary assignments before I got a space in a church at Zone 5, Wuse, Abuja, called Gospel Light Redemption Church with a take home pay of N1500.

You can imagine, a Business Management graduate serving in the church but as at that time, I don’t have any alternative.

Because for almost four months into the service year I could not find a place which denied me of the NYSC monthly stipend of #712, since I was still floating.

I was so happy to find a place at last with a juicy pay of #1500 and my primary assignment in the church was to transcribe the Pastor’s messages recorded on tapes for publication.

I was doing this with other assignments given to me diligently, taking care of the pastor's children very well for them to like me.

Sorry for boring you with long story but I am sharing this with you guys to make meaningful use of your service year, be truthful and honest to yourself and above all, be committed to your duty wherever you are posted" he said.

He further said one day while he was still serving in the church, he travelled to Lagos to see his senior brother and on getting there; he discovered that his brother has travelled out of Lagos, with no other option, he has to return to Abuja.

According to him, God sent one Good Samaritan who gave him a ride at Ikorodu road in Lagos to Abuja, but surprisingly both the first and second vehicle malfunctioned while they were still in Lagos and the man decided that it's like God don’t want him to go by road; he then took taxi and asked him to join him to the airport.

“On getting to the airport, I was having mixed feelings, first, I have not flown before, and secondly, in dread the man would not kill me.

To cut the long story short, the man bought air tickets for both of us and we flew to Abuja.

While we were airborne, the man engaged me because I dressed in NYSC uniform and asked where I was serving and I told him, in the church, he laughed and said church ke, doing what and I told him, transcribing the Pastor’s messages.

On landing in Abuja, a miracle occurred as I got the opportunity to work in Mtel communication in fulfilment of a long time desire because the man wrote a short note at the back of his complimentary card, enveloped and addressed to the Managing Director, Mtel Communication, which was the only telecommunication network in the country then.”

According to him, he took the envelop to Mtel office and lo and behold he was absorbed six months running into the service year, noting that Mtel paid all his allowances which had already being paid to his colleagues who started with the company from day one.

He charged the corp members to be dedicated to duty wherever they are posted, urging them to be of good behaviour even when they return to their states of service to contribute their quota to the overall development of the country.

The speaker promised to sponsor two of their programmes; the carnival and camp fire night, asides supporting them 5 bags of rice, a cow and #100, 000 (Hundred thousand naira).

Introducing the August visitor in January, the Benue State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs AwakEssien E.H who was highly elated said, she never invited the Speaker but was surprised to see him, stressing that his appearance to check on them was laudable and well appreciated.

She said it is no longer news why they are in Asaya Camp in Kabba, noting that the Speaker must be a good representative to have created time to come and see them without invitation.

The representative of the Director General of the NYSC, Mr. Dawo Jida commended the Speaker for the unscheduled visit and promised to intimate the DG, of his kind gesture to them.

He urged the corp members to take home lessons from the personal experience shared by the Speaker on how God was able to help him while undergoing the same service year, they are in now.