It was a
sunny Monday afternoon. Having had a great time at my place of primary
assignment I left for Alhaji Omar Hassan’s residence where I teach his children
(it’s popularly called PP-Private Paroll).
Sooner than later I began to receive phone calls from house mates asking of my
whereabouts. I could not place the extremely calm town and its warm people I
used to know with the news of hostility and inhumane things that were reaching
me. In little or no time, I rushed out of my host’s residence to find out that
the roads have been deserted. So petrified and jittery, was I. At the peak of
my desperation to get to a safe haven, a man who has just moved his family to
the Army barracks rescued me; a stranded stranger.
How can I
forget in a hurry how I fled for dear life from Zubuki village in Itas Gadau
local government in Bauchi after I was given free knocks on my head and
humiliated in my NYSC uniform at the polling station I was posted to as an
Independent National Electoral Commission ad-hoc staff and later rescued by a
God-sent motorcycle rider. Through it all I got to Bauchi at 11 o’clock at
night. Few hours after, the town was literally on fire. Bauchi LGA INEC office
was set ablaze, bon fires at major roundabouts, roads and wanton destruction of
properties. The fear of these and unfavourable security reports and rumours
locked me behind walls and gates for 3 days and 2 nights. Hot, consistent and
persistent fear-propelled prayers and
intercession flowed ceaselessly from my heavy lips and discombobulated
mind.
Our last moments at Gadau (where I was posted for the
elections)
How can I
also forget in a hurry how friends and acquaintances were sent to early graves
like poultry birds? Like the brilliant and visionary ex-president of the
Banking and Finance departmental body, Kehinde Adeniji who was my set in
Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State. We ate lafun (a
local food made from cassava flour) and okro and stew prepared in the same pot.
He later gave me his passport-sized photograph to deliver to another friend of
ours in Bauchi LGA. I passed the night in an adjacent room to his, shared
thoughts of our spectacular experiences and bade my farewell - and that was the
last. As for Ayotunde Ebenezer Gbenjo and Anslem Nkwazema our paths crossed at
Nigeria Christian Corpers Fellowship (NCCF).
Ayo’s story is very pathetic in
the sense that he with some other corps members was rescued from Tafawa Balewa
LGA’s communal clash that claimed lives and properties and even a corpers
lodge. Yet death was lurking around the corner and finally made away with him
during post presidential election crisis. As for the gentlemanly Anslem, he ran
for safety into a police station but was smoked out and butchered thereafter.
Should I wake
the painful memory of the newly married and pregnant Gift Anyanwu who was badly
burnt and gave up the ghost days after at the National Hospital Abuja?
Other lives
lost are Teidi Tosin Olawale, Okpokiri Obinna Michael, Adowei Elliot, Adewunmi
Seun Paul, Ukeoma IKechukwu Chibuzor and Akonyi Ibrahim Sule.
---
I called this
politically motivated with religious colouring the height of man’s inhumanity
to man, although I expressed an unusual optimism in an interview with a
reporter with May 2011 edition of 234next online newspaper, which was attacked
by many readers. I captured my thoughts in the poem I titled
‘TRIBUTE TO OUR MARTYRS’
“With shouts and doubts I greeted
The phone call announcing your home call
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Are probably three decades of gain and pain, sweet and
sweat, favour
and labour,
thick and thin, ups and downs disappeared into thin air?
My mind replied me with full emptiness...
Dear Naija why drink the blood and sweat of them who
served you selflessly
Cover your face in shame ‘cos you gave them no defence
Oh! Your parents and loved ones longed to have you in
their waiting arms
But you have journeyed to the land of the quiet ones
You even returned home but ‘dead on arrival’
Oh! See corps members receive NYSC discharge
certificates
But your exit gave birth to death certificates
Ocean of hot tears from bleeding hearts
Has refused to wake you up
Then our hearts are made up
To live our lives on purpose
Impact lives of people
And serve God with sincerity and passion
We remove head-dresses
Cos your nation’s clarion call you heeded
We remove head-dresses
For these great leaders, visioners, bread-
Winners, educationists, professionals, parents...
Who are gone into early graves
Courage and fortitude we ask you dear Comforter
Forever you are inscribed on our hearts
Good night! Good bye!! ”
(April 2011)
NYSC is
compromised - A scheme that dances to the tune of the highly connected, mighty
and wealthy. Their children and wards serve in choice cities like Abuja, Lagos,
Kano as well as big companies or organizations while the other choice-less
corps members wallow in despicable conditions. Wicked employers absorb cheap
labour, some even serve ‘legislooters’ kolanuts during meetings at the National
Assembly (The Punch; Mar Fri9,Pg 16). What of those kidnapped by militants? Or even
the Osun ‘royal rape’? What of avoidable road accidents that claim lives…
Little wonder
the acronym NYSC is sarcastically redefined as ‘Now Your Suffering Commences’.
What a compromised NYSC! It is a pity that the Gowon-conceived NYSC
paramilitary and unifying scheme has become a laughing stock. The BIG question
is this – has the NYSC over stayed its welcome?
A year is
come and gone, I do not want to believe that a critical lesson learnt is that
you can perpetrate and sponsor evil and get away with it. What a nation! One that
turns deaf ears to the sufferings of its citizenry. When will greed for money,
fame and power become a thing of the past in this corner of the world? How I wish
that those children tied to their mothers’ apron and fathers’ deep pockets wake
up, face the realities of life and embrace hard work and shun mediocrity.
However, all
thanks to the scheme for the scattered Hausa language I speak, imparting
knowledge and values into young Secondary School students of ATBU International
Secondary School, adventure to the northern part of Nigeria but no thanks to
the crisis for truncating my plan to visit Yankari Games Reserves. A nation
that eats its future destiny in the present is not worth a drop of my blood (QED).
Nevertheless,
I believe in the Nigerian dream of the emergence of a great nation. In Dr Tunde
Bakare’s word “Nigeria will prosper in my lifetime”.
OLUDOTUN ADESUA
dotunadesua@gmail.com
