*⛱️THE CAMP⛱️*
Episode 1.
We entered into the nysc camp with our loads on our heads, this was a directive from one of the slim soldier with red eyes and veins carving a thun-derous strike on his arm un-der the afternoon scorching sun.
Equity found its way as there were no differences between the rich and the poor, we were treated the same way. Even the ones that came out from their father’s exotic jeeps and those of us rushing down from the half baked bus without absorbers that we boarded to the camp.
Looking beside me was a beautiful family of father, mother and a very small boy waving at their daughter in tears as she found her way to the gate. I remember the woman screaming when the soldier yelled at their daughter to raise her bag and put it on her head. One could tell that she had never used her arm for anything stressful the way she fidget while lifting the heavy big box that she carried as if she would not leave camp again.
The mother shook and covered her mouth with her hand to avoid the outburst of tears. I wasn’t in my nice mood, I lifted mine and joined the queue.
She struggled.
God knows how she eventually got it on her head, but right there, we all sweat like a chilled coke bottle waiting for our turn. I found out she was behind me.
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When we got to the main gate, we were told to drop our bags and bring out everything in it. It wasn’t a stressful thing for me, the excitement of going to the camp had taken off every kind of tiredness away from me, I dropped the bag and the soldier removed all the sharp objects from the bag, he said I should move forward abit and pack in my stuffs un-der 15 seconds and run inside.
I didn’t even wait for 5 seconds when I moved forward and started packing. Looking behind me I saw this lady struggling and shaking.
“See this wan how he dey shake, soaka mana, bring down you bag!” The soldier yelled at her and she shook, she couldn’t withstand the shock, she burst out into tears as she struggled to drop it coupled with the one she was holding.
I couldn’t handle it, I rushed to her to help her pull it down when the soldier yelled at me.
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“Kai…teffi mana, wat a sturong with you, you wan eff am drop am, I go wipe you koboko wallahi” he exclaimed with his hausa accent.
I rushed back.
She managed to drop the bag and started unpacking it. In the bag were makeup kits, beauty kits and all other girly things and lots of clothes. After removing all the sharp objects, the soldier laughed.
“See diswan, you dey go party? Otondo, pack and comot for here” he yelled.
She moved her back to the front, I rushed to her and helped her pack it, I offered to help her lift it while I handed her my small bag to carry. She couldn’t speak louder, I un-derstood.
We moved further a bit and saw another soldier, he directed us to the parade ground for mini orientation, we were walking down when he yelled at us.
“Kai, otondo, double up now!” We ran down to the parade ground, we met other otondos sitting while a woman probably in her late 40s addressing them, she was talking about the power of words and how we should be mindful of the kind of word we would use on one another.
She further explained that the world was created with word and will be destroyed with word, this same word can lead people into depression and also make people commit suicide so if there is any of us with a poisonous tongue, he/she should be cautious of how they will use it.
I paid keen attention to her when i felt something landing on my shoulder.
Alas, baby girl had rested her head on my shoulder and slept off.
*⛱️THE CAMP⛱️*
Episode 2.
She rested her head on my shoulder and slept off.
Her head was heavy on my tired shoulder, maybe because of her long bunch of braids or her fat cheeks added to her big skull. I tried adjusting but she seemed to have crossed to the dream land.
I endured and concentrated on the woman. She continued.
“Mind the way you talk to people here and watch your tongues, words are like swords, when they hit their target they leave a scare that is if they didn’t kill their victim, be nice to people and keep mute when angry instead of saying what you would regret for the rest of your life…”
She suddenly looked up and saw the lady resting her Head on my shoulder
She fury.
“See these ones, they are already doing love in the camp in the first day, wake her up now, do you think you are in your father’s house?”
People diverted their attention to us and started giggling. I shook her and she woke up. I could see the tiredness in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,I’m sorry…” she apologised.
Her diction was perfect. It doesn’t sound like a regular Nigeria student intonation.
After the session, we were left to where we would collect the tag for our hostels and beds. There were many corp member loitering around. Some had already gotten their bed numbers and hostels. Those were the ones that came a day before camp opens.
We joined the queue of the people that wanted to be a-ssigned to different hostels. I had her heavy bag in my hand while mine was with her. I was tired and hungry but we needed to be a-ssigned to our hostels if at all we would want to rest.
I told her to stay in front of me, when it got to her turn, she got her hostel ticket and bed number while I got nine too. We headed to her hostel, I stopped at the entrance and handed her bag to her.
“Thank you so much…” she looked at me quizzically like someone trying to tag a name to me so I spoke up quickly.
“….Ade, Ade is the name” I said.
“Thank you so much Ade, I really appreciate” she came closer and hug-ged me before going inside. She wore a nice cologne. I felt it and at that point I sensed either she didn’t school in Nigeria or she attended a private university.
I left for my hostel too. I was hungry so I went out to mammy Market to get something to eat.
Corp members normally called otondos were already mingling as if they’ve known one another for years. People that attended same school were ready making friends with oneanother.
They were in white already with crossed bags to keep their stuffs, but I was in my house wear. I sighted a hausa man selling indomie so I settled at his space and requested to be served, he was preparing for me and other people when someone suddenly sat beside me. It was this same girl.
“Ermm….did you tell me your name?” I asked.
“No, you didn’t ask” she replied.
“Anyways, my name is Britney ” she said.
“Oh beautiful name, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“I am famished Ade, I came to eat before sleeping,I heard they won’t allow us to stay out so late at night, I might not even come out because i have no friend here yet,i’ll just be in my bed sleeping” she said and turned to me…
“What will you be doing tonight?” She asked.
“I don’t know, probably be in my bed too because I am damn tired” I replied.
I was served and i devoured like someone that has not eaten for days. I wanted to pay but she handed 2k to the hausa man I was surprised and told her she didn’t need to do that.
“My dad gave me 50k to the camp and my mum gave me extra 40k making it 90k, how on earth will I finish it in 3 weeks if not spending it with someone, its not that there are clothes or shoes to buy here aside food, let’s spend it jare.
“What are you going to eat now?” i asked.
I’ll buy suya and take it with coke”
“Oh, you eat suya?”
“Ofcourse,i love it”
We went to meet the suya seller and she should 3k suya.
She bought two bottles of coke and we stepped down with it. Me that went to camp with 10k and I had already spent 3k on transport, I was left with 7k.
Okay, if this is how she want it to be, I guess I would get fat before leaving this camp.
I was happy.
After eating, we were heading back to the hostel when she suddenly screamed when she sighted some ajebu-tter looking guys and ladies approaching us. She ran into their arms and they hug-ged oneanother.
Like 5 of them.
I stood aside staring at them.
“Are you serious, i cant believe my eyes,oh my gad, i am so happy, wow” she exclaimed as they hug-ged oneanother repeatedly.
“Meet my friend Ade, I met him here and he’s been a good guy, Ade, meet Ben, Shalewa, Jane, Helen and Mary, we all attended the same school, oooohhhh….I am so happy to meet you guys now I can feel the vibe in this camp I didn’t know you would come down to serve here” she exclaimed excitingly.
We exchanged handshake.
The one of the ladies asked Britney, pointing at me…
“Did he attend Greenwich too?”
I looked confused, what’s Greenwich?
I thought.
“I don’t know, Ade, do you school abroad too?” Britney turned to me and asked.
So, this is how my village people want to disgrace me, why can’t I mingle with my local hampions jeje, now these ones will think they are better than me now because they school in abroad.
“No I didn’t school abroad,I schooled here in Nigeria.
“Oh I see, what university?” One of them asked again.
But, what’s all these now, must you know my school, how did I want to tell these ones now that i attended Polytechnic Ede.
How will it even sound to them?
“I didnt attend a university” i said and thet all exclaimed “what!” As they concentrated on me.
I felt bad, without thinking twice, i took the other way and walked away.
“Ade! Ade!!” Britney called out but i didnt answer her.
Na me fu-ck up.