Kebbi state!
I was posted to Kebbi state, as in the last state in the northwestern part of Nigeria! I know I was a drama queen but I never imagined I would be queen of the north someday. All the excitement I had built about NYSC and camp life quickly vanished. Hot premium tears filled my eyes and began running down my face as I called my parents. They didn't even know how to react, my dad said to look on the brighter side, at least I was born there. but then, how was that even supposed to make me feel better? I had prayed so earnestly for months about my posting and now this? I was so disappointed, to say the least.
The next day, I began trying to make contact with other prospective corps members that had been posted to the north via Telegram. At this point, I just have to say, thank God for social media because what would I have done? I eventually joined a group of people in Southeastern Nigeria who had been posted to Kebbi. I was able to link up with about three other people who would be leaving on the same day I planned to leave. The group was really helpful as I even got a list of things to buy, except, there was really no money on ground. I had told my parents to worry about my transportation while I sorted out other things but where would I see the money? I prayed and began making some calls and thankfully God came through for me. I was able to raise up a substantial sum through some friends and relatives and off I went to Douglass market in Owerri.
Next, I began planning how I would move to camp as we were only given a few days to prepare, a greater part of which had been spent trying to get all the documents needed ready. I was told there would be no direct bus to the north from Owerri and would have to go to Onitsha first. I had only passed by Onitsha when returning from Lagos and I had also heard horrific tales about it. I wondered how I would lull my bag around to locate the correct bus park. The camp was due to open on Tuesday, so early Monday morning, I hit the road. I had initially planned to leave on Sunday, but I had to attend a send-forth ceremony of my very good friends, it was exactly what I needed to get ready psychologically for the trip. I would eventually visit my pastor later in the evening, that was how afraid I was.
I contacted my friend from Telegram, Stephen who was coming from Asaba, and we agreed to meet at Onitsha and board a bus together. I left for Onitsha in the early hours of Monday. After much trouble dragging my bag with the park boys who were trying to convince me to enter their bus, I found Stephen. I was so relieved!
The bus parks were filled with prospective corps members travelling to their respective states of deployment. We eventually settled for FG Onyewe bus line, its final stop would be at Sokoto, from where we would take a bus to the NYSC camp in Kebbi. It wasn't even 10 am and I was already stressed. We paid for our seats and then the wait began. We were told the bus would leave by 12pm. Story story.
We eventually left by 4 pm and I was so unsettled. To crown it all, the people who had paid for standing seemed to be even more than those sitting. The bus was almost jampacked and I wondered if this was what I would face for the next 24 hours. I had been told it would be a day's journey. Again, story story.
Shortly after the bus moved, I dozed off, my window seat was serving me well, and sleeping while in motion was actually my best part of travelling. Besides, the scent that saturated the bus was a mixture of sweat, different perfumes, and other things I can’t even describe. With my face to the window, inhaling the cool breeze as we moved, I fired on my sleep. We would stop at different intervals to pick up more people to my utmost surprise and I would doze off again enjoying my sweet sleep, until someone tapped me. It was Stephen. "wake up", he whispered. I opened my eyes and looked around. It was almost 9 pm, the bus wasn't moving and it seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere.
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