A few months ago we began the NYSC Diaries, which covered inside life stories of NYSC in Nigeria. Stories like things NYSC corps members can relate to or what to do when you鈥檙e posted to a faraway place, like Borno.
A new NYSC batch has been called in for camp. So, everyday by 1:30PM for the next 21 days, one of our writers will be sharing his day-to-day camp experiences.
6:30 a.m.
I don鈥檛 like all this nonsense. They said we should sleep all we want today but they are already blowing bugle. Does 6:30 sound like 鈥淪leeping all you want鈥?
Anyways, I鈥檓 not even in my hostel. I鈥檓 preparing with the rest of my platoon for the carnival. If you see what other platoons are doing in their canopies, and then look at our canopy, you will just be pitying us.
But never despise the days of little beginnings.
9:53 a.m.
Okay maybe our little beginning was just signs that we were not up for all this because all these things I鈥檓 seeing from other platoons as we proceed for the procession are bursting my head. These people obviously did not hear about all these things last night like we did. They are preparedddd!! I love to see it.
12:47听辫.尘.
The 鈥渃arnival鈥 ends. It wasn鈥檛 fun. Maybe because my platoon didn鈥檛 win anything. But oh well, they said there鈥檚 bonfire at night. Maybe that one will be interesting.
I see the camp commandant taking pictures with the shortest guy on camp. I join in the photos. Please, I鈥檓 short too.
1:35 p.m.
My phone screen stops working. It just stops. It鈥檚 been acting up all day but now it鈥檚 just stopped. I know Dipo鈥檚 number so I call him with someone鈥檚 phone. I explain what鈥檚 happening and he says the screen is spoiled and I鈥檇 have to replace it. God, please.
I take it to Nas. He says I don鈥檛 have to change it. Or at least he hopes so. He will help me bring it out and clean the panels. I really like Nas.
4:39 p.m.
We鈥檙e cooking for the platoon. We鈥檙e all under a canopy talking and making noise. It鈥檚 fun, one of those things you miss when you leave.
I see a chicken. No, not the one that chased me. There鈥檚 a face mask around it and it鈥檚 struggling. I want to take a picture, but my phone is still with Nas. But I pity it. It鈥檚 suffering.
I keep talking about it and people keep telling me to forget about it, it鈥檒l be fine.
The quiet girl beside me says 鈥淒o you want us to go and help?鈥
鈥渊别蝉鈥
We spend the next 20 minutes chasing a chicken who thinks we鈥檙e here to kill it. Chickens are foolish. We finally catch it and help it get free.
I wish someone recorded us. Somebody can use such a video to run for political post.
鈥淗e cares about even the birds of the field. He will definitely care for your children. Nigeria, vote David Odunlami for president, 2031.鈥
6:00 p.m.
Nas gives be my phone back. It鈥檚 working fine now. I thank him. He鈥檚 such a nice guy. I give it back to him to charge. I have to get a celebratory haircut.
6:48 p.m.
Please, dear barber, stop showing me pictures of haircuts on your phone. Cut the one on my head. He鈥檚 been on a non-stop talking frenzy trying to impress me since I told him I lived in Lagos. I can鈥檛 blame him. Maybe I pronounced 鈥淟agos鈥 like somebody that has money and he鈥檚 trying to secure a customer.
I don鈥檛 really like him though. He said because I鈥檓 from Lagos I probably do fraud because Lagos boys are fraudsters. Then he started glorifying fraud just to make me feel good.
When he tried to confirm if he was right, and I told him he was wrong, he asked,
鈥淚s it your choice, or is it because your dad is a pastor?鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 because I鈥檓 a pastor鈥
He was quiet for the rest of the haircut.
He gives good haircuts though.
8:53 p.m.
The definition of bonfire has changed. It now means 鈥淧eople dancing in circles platoon by platoon with Man O鈥橶ar music playing in the background without any fire involved鈥.
Oxford, please do well to update your dictionary.
In case you missed it:
