MY NYSC LIFE AND EXPERIENCE

 MY NYSC LIFE AND EXPERIENCE

BY

MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA

NTA KADUNA NWC

mudassiray@gmail.com

In early 2009 I recieved my NYSC Posting later  which red 'BO' which compells me to answer and obey the clarion call to serve my nation in Borno State, The home of peace. Surely Borno is peaceful city then with clear testimony from all and sundry who happened to visit the the popular Yerwa. 'WUSHE KENDERO YERWA' is written boldly in KANURI at the top of the main gates and all entrance to Maiduguri from all angle meaning ' WELCOME TO MAIDUGURI'  I was received harmoniously by a friend of my father who was the serving commissioner of education in Ali Sheriff's administration. What made me amazed and felt important and became so elated was the kind gesture and good hospitality received after our Jigawa Sunrise shuttle bus arrived safely at Borno Express terminus, I called him and informed him about my arrival, could you imagine the humble Commissioner came along with official vehicle and driver to picked me off. What a reception! He took me to his office at the famous Musa Usman Secretariat and ordered delicious delicacies and assorted drinks. Good to the unkitted Corper who last ate Masar bauchi and suya at Azare bus stop about 3 hours ago. That was the beginning of understanding abd justifying the good gesture and kindness of people of Maiduguri that I will never forget. This also testified the title of the state. 'The Home of Peace'. Later in the evening we went to his house at commissioner's/ perm Sect lodge at old GRA Maiduguri where I was also warmly welcomed by his family. After magrib I was asked to come to his sitting room, I met all his male children most of whom are my mates and his male house maids. To cut the story short we had a dinner together in the same dish, I was so impressed but I was told this is the culture of Borno people.

In the morning I was taken to NYSC Camp at Bulunkutu where another friend of my father asked me to see him before proceeding to the CAMP, he later took me to the camp directly where I saw corpers on arrival receiving fatigue from military men calling them WAWA YAZO. I was luckily enough to escape that fatigue as we drove directly through the gate to the camp masjid which houses the Secretariat of Muslim Corpers Association of Nigeria (MCAN). Thanks for another warm reception from its members.

After the 3 weeks stayed in camp participating in almost all activities to include parade, football, festival carnival, musabaqah, paradise night etc which exonerated me from becoming an Otondo. I was posted to NTA Maiduguri Network Centre. We share room at Shehu Garbai Staff Quarters with my immediate colleague Abdulladir Balarabe (Abba) who is also from Kano, our NYSC numbers are similar to the brand old Peugeot 504 and 505, that was why we almost do everything in collaboration, like clearance, CDS meeting, we cook and eat together, go to market and move around altogether. Though Abba was already engaged, after working hours he mostly concentrated in phone love while I was preoccupied by my write up and playing football, yet our lives are good and enviable.

I was peacefully and harmoniously roaming about the streets, some nooks and crannies of Maiduguri