NEWS DIGEST – Well since it’s the first week of
activities after resuming camp on the 19th of April
2018, I’ve decided to document my experience at the
“world class” Okada camp with half-star facilities,
Edo state. This is a story, a continuous narrative,
some words might be hyperbolic while some might
sound fictional but nevertheless the past and the
present collides here. Prior to the NYSC posting, I did
preempt that I would be posted to the heartbeat of the
nation to feel the heat and obey the clarion call even
under the rain and even in the sun.


https://newsdigest.ng/opinion/2018/04/24/diary-edo-corp-member/

Diary of an Edo Corp member (Part I)

NEWS DIGEST – Well since it’s the first week of activities after resuming camp on the 19th of April 2018, I’ve decided to document my experience at the “world class” Okada camp with half-star facilities, Edo state. This is a story, a continuous narrative, some words might be hyperbolic while some might sound fictional but nevertheless the past and the present collides here. Prior to the NYSC posting, I did preempt that I would be posted to the heartbeat of the nation to feel the heat and obey the clarion call even under the rain and even in the sun.

I have heard so much about the orientation camp especially the soldiers’ commands, endurance trek, mammy market extravagant spendings and transactions and of course Corper-to-Corper & Corper-to-Soldier flirtatious acts inversely, the camp commandant stern looking face. I can’t even recollect the thousands of admonishes and farewell wishes by friends and caring admirers especially to beware of ”Camp Lioness” who will be all over. The beginning of adventure at the Okada camp is indeed a very intriguing one especially with the consistent sounds of the beagle disturbing any semblance of peace within me.

The 3 weeks of life in a solitary confinement with regimented lifestyle and living with people of different cultural backgrounds and religions from all over Nigeria, waking up at 4:30am every damn morning, very little food and many more activities were what scripted up the orientation activities. At first it was difficult to differentiate them but soon enough, I could tell which was for which, especially, the food aspect where we get “sumptuous” meal of high class coupled with “excellent” service delivery and the one for when Nigeria wants to either sleep or wake at 6pm and 6am respectively.

Different commands of ‘pre….shun, left, right’ filled the parade ground with our white shorts, white socks and white round neck shirt, we were apparently looking like medical lab scientists or maybe ọmọ science students but whatever it’s everyone seems just to be adapting to the radar of the stress within the camp. The soldiers took the stress of teaching us how to salute the Governor with continuous and repeated chants of remove “headdress” only for the Governor to be absent hence he did send his delegates to stand in for him, I could see the displeasure registered on the faces of corps members who have practiced rigorously just to make the Governor himself enjoy the topnotch parade from the echoing of “3 hearty cheers” by various platoons. We lined up according to our platoons and patiently waited for the Governor, that was how our name turned to patience o.

While I did observe that it’s necessary that facilities to enhance the efficacy of the scheme must be put in place, I did discover that the problems plaguing the NYSC scheme transcend the functional efficiency and environmental convenience of the orientation camp. My days so far on camp is really not too different from my typical day on campus (University of Ìbàdàn). I didn’t find it hard to mingle with corp members from other schools. Interestingly, fellow Corp members especially from my platoon with the cognomen as “one love” (Platoon 6) freely mingled with one another and in a matter of days, you would have thought that we’ve known each other for years. Lest I forget, those mami market people are legit scammers, you need to be loaded to an extent when you’re going to camp. Stay glued to the next part of the series.

Alao Abiodun is a graduate of University of Ìbàdàn, He writes from Okada, Ẹ̀dọ̀ state

Greet captain Kingsley for me. "If I grab you"

any right to publish this on Corpers Forum?

Nice write up alao abiodun forreelinc priceles16

Also in okada camp presently

U need to emphasize about the poor state of the hostel /toilet facilities


Probably the worst camp in the whole federation

Greet Captain Kacey Okafoncha for me,our honourable RSM and Mr Nosa Ogbogodo.That camp nah gbagaun,missed their tuwo and ogbono soup

Pls,let's chat on wattsapp,l need one information from you sir,Thanks 08137196991