I could feel my heart beat twice its normal rate, hot drops of sweat trickled down my head, i wasnt going to give up, never!..............

Hello everyone, i'd be sharing with you my unforgetable experience at the nigerian army recruitment exercise in Enugu state, Abakpa Barracks.

N:B: I'm not quite good at writing but i'll try my best to convey my experience in an understandable way. I'd be posting at a steady rate,but i'll try to post regularly as time goes. This might be a bit longer than you'd expect but i wish you enjoy and learn a lesson or two. Comments, Criticism and Suggestions are allowed

First i think a bit of introduction about myself would be appropriate.
I was born in the year 1996, i'm about 5ft10, dark in complexion, handsome(abi you want make i tell you say i ugly before?) a bit slim but some say i've got an athletic build, My mother is a teacher, and my Dad was a soldier (sadly he died from a motor accident in the year 2008), i am the first born in my family and i have a kid brother;

I wrote Waec in 2012, and i passed with my first sitting, due to some reasons which i cant explain i wasnt able to sit for jamb until the year 2014, which happened to be the same year the army rec. Exercise will commence. Though i passed the jamb exams i decided to forfeit it in other to join the force.


I always wanted to join the Nigerian army despite my mother's objections. What could the poor woman do, she never wanted me to partake in anything 'force' lest i remind her of the past, i thought about her objections carefully but my mind was already made up, i wanted to be independent, relieve her of the stress she's going through catering for my brother and i. All i wanted was adventure, The bokoharm menance wasnt going to stop me from my dream or so i thought.

By september 8th, i was delighted to know that the online registration for recruitment was on, i decided to travel to Lagos and stay at my uncle's place at Ojo barracks, because he was also a soldier, it would interest you all to know that his wife is also a soldier but sadly they dont have an offspring after years of marriage. Hence the reason i decided to travel to lagos first, so i can easily undergo some physical training to prepare me for the exercise.

Chidi!, Chi i heard my mom calling my name, i always love being called chi by my mom, it makes my head swell.
Ma, i answered. Wake up its already half past 5 and you're still sleeping or have you changed your mind, at the sound of her last statement i jumped up from bed, greeted her good morning and quickly rushed to brush my teeth, Took my bath, dressed up, the re- checked my bag incase i forgot anything.
Today i'll embark on my journey to Lagos, its been two years since i've been to lagos and i was anxious to know how Lagos would look like. I've been watching tv and reading news about the transformation of Lagos state

Brother chidi, brother chidi; my tiger of a brother called. I was surprised at his sudden change of tone, even though i was 5yrs older than him he never gives me enough respect. We usually have our good moments, but sometimes he could be as stubborn as a goat, i remember a certain friday he set off to his friend's house, which was a stone throw from ours. I just finished sweeping and i wanted to send him on an errand but couldnt find him, i decided to check his normal base which was his friend's house. I was lucky find him, as they were already planning to go to the market, so na here u dey? oya buy one apple for me as una dey go together, make u go come sharp sharp o, i said.
Okay brother, he replied.
That was the last time i saw him for almost 9hrs.
There was total pandemic in my neighbourhood that day, i was shocked, terrified, confused just name it. I tried my best to calm my mum down, and neighbours rounded themselves up in other to search for them,i quickly ran back to the market to look for them by then it was 6pm, and it was getting dark. suddenly, just like a movie scene i saw 2 dark figures running towards me, hey its my brother, i yelled happily. All of a sudden the joy in me evaporated, in a fit of anger i held him with my left hand, whoop! I gave him a resounding slap it happened so fast, almost like the speed of light, ha! Brother chidi, ha my back, sorry na brother sorry! He exclaimed!
The neighbours gathered and my brother and his friend were asked to narrate what happened;

Nonso: (sobbing, em em, me and okwudili) pointing to his friend) we were buying vegetable and apple, then one man came over to us and asked us to help him load about 50 yams to his pick- up, after loading him we told him to pay us 400naira that we agreed on but he told us that we should help him offload it at the junction by the road. We climbed the back of the pick up and were on our way, we passed the junction but the man did not stop so we started shouting and asking him where he was taking us to, he told us to relax that he's taking us to Obollo... Hey! The neighbours interrupted with a thundering shout, continue someone shouted.
em, after 20mins we got to the market and he told us to load extra 200 yams! We refused and he threatened us that he would leave us there and go his way, we changed our mind immediately. After loading it he took brought us back to this place and gave us 300 naira.
Thank God o, it was not kidnappers oh God thank you, it was my mother speaking, oya before i count one you must have reached house by now!.

Brother Chidi! Bro Chidi! I was brought back to reality....Ehn! What is the problem Nonso? Please, buy gala and lacasera for me before you go o, oh okay i will, i replied. Despite him being 12yrs of age, he still behaves like a 6yr old sometimes, typical of most last born.

I boarded Peace Mass Transit, the bus left by 7 a.m, i bade my mom and brother good bye fighting hard to surpress my tears. The journey was uneventful bar the time we passed the Niger Bridge i'm always left in awe to its beautiful design and the breathtaking scene, this river is definitely a great sign of nature's prowess, i solliloquized. I arrived at Lagos state by quarter past 7, if not for traffic jam, i would have arrived earlier. Lagos has truly changed, the streets were cleaner, people were much more organised.

Good evening sir,.... Yes what do you want, who are you, where are you comming from, where's your gate pass the man shouted almost at once. I was left confused on which to answer first, but i wasnt in any way afraid, me? Afraid i dey mad. I have gotten used to these questions my 18yrs as a barrack boy has taught me many things. I quickly replied, sir my name is Chidi Peter, i came all the way from lagos am here to see my uncle who is Warrant Officer(WO) Ben.
Are you with his phone number? And what is his unit?.
Yes i'm with his phone number sir(always include sir when answering a soldier its very important) and he works at MRS he is their RSM(RSM is more like a senior doctor of a hospital)

Good good, call the number your self and give me when he picks.......
Pim pim pim pim, i could hear the line ringing i was praying silently that my uncle should pick this call and not fall my hand.

Hello chidi, E rugwome(have you reached) yes sir i have, please speak with the sergeant, he asked me to call you. After they discussed for a while the sergeant let me in

My Uncle was already waiting for me, i entered his car and he zoomed off.
10mins later we reached his house, thankfully there was power supply. His wife wasnt at home then, she went for night vigil , He asked me to eat but i told him i wasnt hungry, knowing how tired i was he didnt force me. I went to the other flat which was his as well(as a warrant officer he is entitled to 2 flats, his wife just one but they decided to let another soldier live in the other flat)

I took my bath hurriedly, called my mom to tell her i've finally arrived then i slept off

The Next day, i woke up as early as 7, cleaned the room, brushed my teeth dressed up and quickly went to inform my uncle that i would be going to the cafe to process my recruitment form which he was already aware of.

I quickly went to a nearby cafe to summit it online. In the course of registration after i paid him 1,000 naira, PHCN STRUCK and the cafe operator didnt have a UPS connected to the computer, no! This wasnt happening, what kind of bad luck is this.

Cafe Operator: ha, my brother i didnt save the passcode that was sent to me after i paid the money online.

Me: but i told you to save it nah, but you told me there is no problem.

Cafe Operatorstuttering) ehm, what should we do now?.

Me: which kind question be dat, i should be the one asking you that question.

Cafe Operator: The only solution is to purchase another passcode, please i know its my fault but can you pay additional money like maybe 500naira please, its too much of a loss for me.

Me: Ooooh God, but i asked you o
Oya take this 500 naira, do this thing sharp sharp abeg.

Within 20mins we finished the registration, i left his cafe smiling to myself; finally i've taken a positive step forward.

wow u came to ojo baracks that's the same place am living at but which part of the barrack are you at

opalk:
wow u came to ojo baracks that's the same place am living at but which part of the barrack are you at

I was staying at Finiger bro

.

living at officer's village attended command children sch and also command day seconday sch. still living at ojo barrack up to now

moris01:
I grew up in ojo barracks. Stayed in finiger left block 03/15 room 11
Started from naowa,command children and command day second sch. It was a wonderful experience I learnt d basics of lyfe. I'm married now with a son.

wow!. my uncle i stayed with leaves at block 13 flat 7 and 8. It feels great to know all of this

opalk:
living at officer's village attended command children sch and also command day seconday sch. still living at ojo barrack up to now

I was living at CVD barracks then but since i was 5 i started visiting my aunt and her husband at finiger. Though i didnt attend command cos i never loved it

Id post more, latest tommorow.

Please if you feel my update is ok signify by commenting