By Amina Barau Inuwa
On 28th October 2015, a cool Tuesday morning, I headed to Jigawa State for the national call to offer my service to the nation. I wasn’t the type of person that went outside Kano often. I found it so amazing because it was my first trip for three weeks outside Kano. I felt a bit afraid. I didn’t know the nature of the people I would meet during my trip and the people in the orientation camp because all my schooling was in Kano State.
We were inside the car with my friends; as they were busy talking and laughing, my eyes and mind were on the road seeing long trees swinging and dancing to the tune of the winds, topographies, landscapes, undulating slopes, farms, markets, schools, and children among others. We reached the orientation camp around 10:00 am, along Dutse Road in Fanisau. I saw hundreds of people called Corps members at the gate being checked. We quickly followed the long queue to be checked too.
I remembered home, asking myself how I could cope among thousands of people as we were 4000+ during the exercise. We were in that queue till 4 pm, and still, we didn’t get accommodation and other things that would be used during the exercise at the camp. Finally, my friends and I sneaked to a line (short-cut), wrote our names and completed the registration for accommodation. We prayed, ate and returned for another registration and collection of kits (uniform, canvas and jungle boots). When I opened my gear, I saw that my boots were not my size, so I went outside around 2 am to change them.
It was hard to sleep because I wasn’t used to sleeping in a big room with many people as we were 64. So I cried as my friends had all slept. But I got used to the camp after 2 – 3 days; I became closer to many people from different schools, states, backgrounds, religions, and tribes.
The morning meditation was the first thing that scared me; we woke up by 3 am, took our baths, and, if there was time, ate something and headed to the mosque for prayers. Immediately after the Salaam was said, the soldiers would shout, “If you are finished, come out”; “If you are sleeping, you are wrong…come out”. I felt afraid for the first two days as soldiers used to scare me, but I was used to it the following days as the soldiers were friendly if and only if you followed their instructions. Each Platoon participates in different activities in the camp. Our group participated in the kitchen too.
I enjoyed the parade on the parade ground, especially when the drums were being beaten. I miss the friends I met. Going to Mami market with Fatima and eating noodles, that is when we don’t want to eat the food prepared by the kitchen, Platoon meetings, lectures (boring sometimes), Entrepreneurial skills which I was in a cosmetology group where I learned how to make air freshener, hair cream, liquid soaps etc. many my friends join different groups and learn other skills.
Activities that I miss at the camp include a parade, lectures, skill learning and friends. My Platoon parade commander (Danladi Mairiga and Aminu), Platoon leader and members, I missed you. The friends I miss include Fatima, Doris, Nene, ‘Yar Gaya, Hauwa, Patience, Your Excellency, Ayo (room leader), Aysha, Aysha (from Niger state), Makkiyya, Sabi’u Halliru, Rislan, Adamu, Aminu Funtua, Ahmad KD, a friend that I can’t recall his name in Kofar Waika of Kano. Many friends and roommates said the space would not be enough to write their names. My colleagues (Amina, Rabia and Walida) started together but later relocated. Some colleagues we started and finished together are all in my mind.
Government Secondary School Kanya Babba, Babura Jigawa State, was my first primary assignment, but I was transferred to Babura Divisional Library for some reasons. I served alongside Ann and Isma’il. That is where I completed my one-year national call.
In conclusion, National Youth Service is an activity that unites people of different tribes and religions, paving the way for many relationships, from marriage (my friends have married during the service year) to jobs and many opportunities. It strengthens the unity among Nigerians.
My service year was peaceful; it was perfect and successful. During my trip, I miss Bandirawa, Kwanar Dumawa, Minjibir, Danbatta, Koko, Tukui, Wailare and Makoda when taking off from Kano. When heading to Jigawa, I can’t forget Kazaure, ‘Yankwashi, Karkarna, Dandi, Burji, Walawa, Tasawa, Kwanar Sandamu, Koko, Kanawa, Babura, Rafin Canji, ‘Yar Kirya, Garun Gudunya, Babura Kudu, Babura Yamma, Gari Uku, Kanya Babba and many other places that I can’t recall their names. Indeed, the people in those areas showed great hospitality to us.
Amina Barau Inuwa wrote from Kano. She can be contacted via aminabarau257@gmail.com.
