A
abujagirl
Guest
It’s 1:00am, 21st October 2015, my eyelids flip open automatically. ‘’NYSC’’ rings in my head. Call-up letters are due for printing today. I stay up through the night stalking the NYSC portal.
9:am, I’m still awake. The NYSC call up letter is late just like civil servants reporting to work on Monday morning. I check the NYSC portal every 20minutes, it doesn’t matter that there’s a notice on the page saying ‘’Call up letter for Batch B 2015 PCM is not yet available for printing’’.
By 22nd October, I’m ready to go crazy but I keep my calm and act as if I ‘no send NYSC’. I’m off to school for final screening. At the Students affairs division I can almost touch the tension in the air.
‘’NYSC no dey try’’, I overhear a student with lipstick on her teeth tell a staff.
‘’Calm down, it will soon be released’’, the staff replies with a nonchalant smile on his face. I join the conversation, without invitation. ‘’Oga no mind all these people wey just dey tense for nothing’’.
He loves my attitude and in no time is explaining why the call up letter is late. I pretend to understand. Few minutes letter, with my final clearance form submitted I dash to the Park.
The guy sitting beside me, flips out his blackberry Z10 and begins to fiddle with it. I suddenly remember I have a sleek Samsung tablet that can put his blackberry to shame. Once the tablet is out, I automatically visit the NYSC port. I’ve been posted to Lagos – I can’t believe my eyes. I refresh the page and check again- it’s still Lagos. For once the Nigerian system has not failed. Lagos was my second choice during registration.
A part of me is happy while the other part is scared. I hate leaving Port Harcourt except to places like London and Carpe Verde which I’ve only visited in my dreams. I ignore my inner battle and start calling my friends and foes. Everybody must know I’ve been posted to Lagos .
‘’Hello Babe. Na Lagos dem give me o’’…..…
3 days to camp. I’m not prepared. I keep checking for cheap flights and complaining about how I don’t have all the money I need for mammy market groove. Everything has to be on point- i don't have strength to suffer.
Fast forward to This morning,Tuesday 27th October, I’m hiding in my room still unsure of how I want to go to camp –Night bus or airplane. I weigh the options, I get sick on the road but NYSC transport alawee cannot buy plane ticket. Maybe I’ll trek.
P.S: Lagos corpers, someone please save a bed space by the window for me. I don’t know when I’ll get to camp but I’ll get there somehow. I promise to gist you all about the journey and my stay in camp in camp if I finally make it. Ciao!!!
9:am, I’m still awake. The NYSC call up letter is late just like civil servants reporting to work on Monday morning. I check the NYSC portal every 20minutes, it doesn’t matter that there’s a notice on the page saying ‘’Call up letter for Batch B 2015 PCM is not yet available for printing’’.
By 22nd October, I’m ready to go crazy but I keep my calm and act as if I ‘no send NYSC’. I’m off to school for final screening. At the Students affairs division I can almost touch the tension in the air.
‘’NYSC no dey try’’, I overhear a student with lipstick on her teeth tell a staff.
‘’Calm down, it will soon be released’’, the staff replies with a nonchalant smile on his face. I join the conversation, without invitation. ‘’Oga no mind all these people wey just dey tense for nothing’’.
He loves my attitude and in no time is explaining why the call up letter is late. I pretend to understand. Few minutes letter, with my final clearance form submitted I dash to the Park.
The guy sitting beside me, flips out his blackberry Z10 and begins to fiddle with it. I suddenly remember I have a sleek Samsung tablet that can put his blackberry to shame. Once the tablet is out, I automatically visit the NYSC port. I’ve been posted to Lagos – I can’t believe my eyes. I refresh the page and check again- it’s still Lagos. For once the Nigerian system has not failed. Lagos was my second choice during registration.
A part of me is happy while the other part is scared. I hate leaving Port Harcourt except to places like London and Carpe Verde which I’ve only visited in my dreams. I ignore my inner battle and start calling my friends and foes. Everybody must know I’ve been posted to Lagos .
‘’Hello Babe. Na Lagos dem give me o’’…..…
3 days to camp. I’m not prepared. I keep checking for cheap flights and complaining about how I don’t have all the money I need for mammy market groove. Everything has to be on point- i don't have strength to suffer.
Fast forward to This morning,Tuesday 27th October, I’m hiding in my room still unsure of how I want to go to camp –Night bus or airplane. I weigh the options, I get sick on the road but NYSC transport alawee cannot buy plane ticket. Maybe I’ll trek.
P.S: Lagos corpers, someone please save a bed space by the window for me. I don’t know when I’ll get to camp but I’ll get there somehow. I promise to gist you all about the journey and my stay in camp in camp if I finally make it. Ciao!!!
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