Well I spent Friday not at work (yeah) beacuse of my CD day. CD means community development and it is one more stage in the NYSC farce. Let me start from the beginning....
NYSC (or National Youth Service Corps) is the reason I came back to Nigeria as a 25 year old to have my year of fun and angst. It is a Nigerian directive that says that all university graduates for one year after graduation have to serve their country. How? Well you spend the first three weeks in an orientation camp which is for you to get to know other victims in your state, to learn army type things like marching and fitness and toughness (example treks, climbing walls etc).
After camp you get posted to your primary assignment and it's meant to reflect what you studied, it can be in the private or public sector (but people generally start crying if they get a teaching gig). You only work four days of the week and the 5th is the aforementioned CD day.
Well this day you are meant to serve your community is some lovely way but in my zone we do pants all cos the staff aren't bothered. Yesterday I sat and read a lovely novel and if You see your mates you get to chat with them.
My memories of NYSC will be of grey walls and benches and hanging around for your card to be signed as proof that you haven' t left the country to go to Antigua and sip Pina Coladas.
It's meant to be a bonding exercise for the country cos you get posted to a part of the country that you aren't from but I think somewhere along the way it all gone a bit awry.
NYSC (or National Youth Service Corps) is the reason I came back to Nigeria as a 25 year old to have my year of fun and angst. It is a Nigerian directive that says that all university graduates for one year after graduation have to serve their country. How? Well you spend the first three weeks in an orientation camp which is for you to get to know other victims in your state, to learn army type things like marching and fitness and toughness (example treks, climbing walls etc).
After camp you get posted to your primary assignment and it's meant to reflect what you studied, it can be in the private or public sector (but people generally start crying if they get a teaching gig). You only work four days of the week and the 5th is the aforementioned CD day.
Well this day you are meant to serve your community is some lovely way but in my zone we do pants all cos the staff aren't bothered. Yesterday I sat and read a lovely novel and if You see your mates you get to chat with them.
My memories of NYSC will be of grey walls and benches and hanging around for your card to be signed as proof that you haven' t left the country to go to Antigua and sip Pina Coladas.
It's meant to be a bonding exercise for the country cos you get posted to a part of the country that you aren't from but I think somewhere along the way it all gone a bit awry.
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