Nigeria youth service corps (NYSC), is a program instituted by the Nigerian government to train the youth who graduated from a university or any recognized institution in the nation.
When you hear Kopa wee! And a response of Kopa Waa! That is the response of an Otondos, Otondo is popular slang for a fresh and ignorant corps member, it connotes innocence and foolishness. As a prospective Otondo, you should have finished your higher education and you should have been cleared by the University Senate for mobilization which you registered on the NYSC portal. Let me reminiscence on my experiences going on the missionary journey to Ebonyi state to serve my father’s land.
EBONYI STATE NYSC CAMP PICTURES, LOCATION & EXPERIENCE
The Ebonyi State permanent Orientation Camp is located on the premises of MacGregor College in Afikpo local government of the state. Ebonyi state is one of the 6 latest states that include Bayelsa, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Zamfara created by General Sani Abacha to mark the Nation’s 36 years as the country’s states were increased from 30 to 36 by a decree. Ebonyi state, Salt of the nation situated in the Southeastern region of the country is carved from Abia and Enugu and is presently administered by David Umahi since 2015. The famous areas in the State include Abakaliki, the capital city, Afikpo, Onueke, Onicha, etc. The State is an agrarian state famous for its famous Abakaliki rice. Life in such an agrarian community is of a different shade that I will take my time to highlight here a
THE NYSC SCHEME
All of my life I have never stepped the land of the rising sun on the east side of Nigeria, but the NYSC scheme offered me that opportunity on a platter of diamond. The NYSC Scheme created by Decree 24 by the Yakubu Gowon administration on 22 May 1973 as part of his post-war rehabilitation programme chiefly to promote the culture of oneness for the nation’s diversity in the nation’s graduates.
The NYSC is in three major stages, which include Pre-Orientation Camp, Orientation Camp stage, and Post Orientation Camp Phase. The Pre-Orientation is the phase between the Campus and the NYSC scheme. It involves online registration on the NYSC portal called mobilization and final clearance from the institution of graduation. After which you await the call up letter or posting letter. Posting is usually to states that are totally different from a prospective corps member state of residence and institution of graduation.
Orientation Camp Phase is a 3 weeks/21 days regimented camp called the Orientation Camp. The camp is localized in the 36 states of Nigeria and the federal capital.
THE FUN
The funny shade of this camp life involves the social nights I look forward too and maybe the mammy market experiences and my escapades at faking illness to avoid the punishing morning drills.
THE BORING
Nothing was as boring as the loads of lectures we have to sit down for hours and listen to that was in itself straining.
THE PAIN
How do you have to wake up early and find a long queue for water and not be pained? Getting water is always a pain in the ass as the demand for water outweighs the supply, so we wake up with the stress of maintaining a long queue as if we are in the times of fuel scarcity.
The khaki boys too i.e. the soldier yet won’t bother to consider that, as they will threaten us as if we are unwanted elements in the society. The sound of the bigle, the shouts of the double up and all that was a big pain in my ass.
THE LOVE
NYSC camp is a place where love bugs are flying about ready to bite you with fleeting whirl storm infatuation and I was blessed to be blessed with some beautiful friends, and so many relationships brought from the outside camp were sacrificed for these loves. I even heard stories of my escapades at light outs. Hmmm
THE MYSTERY
When you reject the kitchen meal because you thought the Maami market meal would be better prepared only to have these nauseous smell and taste that is soapy- like that I later found is attributed to the palm oil been used in the cooking and what about the rumor of donkey meat been served in the Maami market. I have to return back to my rejected stone i.e. the kitchen and manage the small food they dish out there.
THE DECEIVED AND THE DECEIVER
I heard stories of so many people trying to influence their primary place of assignment posting to the capital through some NYSC officers and even some khaki boys. Only for them to be posted to a rural settlement in the interior after paying money and in kind. ME I don’t know o
THE CAMP RADIO
These guys make my camp stay fun at times with their music selection and the news mill where you catch the latest gist on camp. To the Orientation Broadcasting Service, I doff my hat. I even thought they were professional OAP until I found out they were also OTONDOS too.
THE VIP
The NYSC commandant Brig. General Sulyman Kazaure also paid us a visit and the food served us that day was like party food.
THE MARCH PAST
The beautiful match drill on the final day on camp was a delight to see, but as for me, I was just an observer on the touchline as my platoon wheel around, I was wowed and truly wished I had been disciplined enough to participate in the rigors of the drill.
The 21 days journey is brought to an end with the collection of Posting letter to your local government of primary assignment. thus start 11 months Post Orientation Camp Journey where you are to work in one of the education, health, agriculture and governmental parastatals
THE POST ORIENTATION CAMP PHASE
This is the real-life environment where the lessons inculcated at the camp are expressed after which you are presented with a certificate if you successfully finished your assignment.
Read Also:
- DELTA STATE NYSC CAMP PICTURES LOCATION & EXPERIENCE
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- HOW MUCH IS NYSC ALLOWANCE FOR ALL STATES IN NIGERIA
- LAGOS NYSC CAMP PICTURES LOCATION & EXPERIENCE
- FCT ABUJA NYSC CAMP PICTURES LOCATION & EXPERIENCE
CONCLUSION EBONYI STATE NYSC CAMP PICTURES LOCATION ADDRESS AND EXPERIENCE
For every camp they all have their similarities likewise their differences, with my stay in Ebonyi State NYSC camp, it was a mixed situation for all corps members, as there are time you felt the real meaning of NYSC, factors that stimulate you about yourself and the nation as whole, but there are also time, you felt NYSC is a total waste of time, so your stay in camp will be of two option which you will compulsorily partake, so prepare yourself and yourself!, but before then Ajuwaya!