Memories Of Asaya

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CHAPTER I

Evening came down so fast with little hope of getting anything done, all I wanted was to get a place to lay my head for the night. People already in white round necks, shots and sneakers, at this juncture i wondered why I came late.

Everything was set and in order that I knew from that moment that the next three weeks of my stay will be an eventful one, I got little next to nothing done that night.

I located my friend from my former university he offered me a place to stay for the night because he came few hours earlier and was able to secure a spot, the hostel he got was nothing to write home about but that was the least of my concern.

I saw people put their mattresses on the floor since there were few bunks in the hostel, I was so tired that all I wanted to do was sleep with the hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

I woke up at 3 am to the faint sound of movements around the room,boys rushing to take their bath in other to avoid the queue, sound of buckets,I saw grouchy fellow corps members dragged themselves from their bed and headed to the bathroom.

Barely awake i managed to get up from the student size bed which my friend and I managed to squeeze ourselves in, my body ached all over.

I brought out my toothbrush everything still neatly stacked the way I packed it. Few minutes later I came out still not aware of my environment due to the darkness ,i glanced at my wrist watch to check the time, 4:00 am, i picked up my documents and went straight to the administrative block to prepare myself for registration.

The NYSC officials didn't show up till few minutes after eight in the morning but by that time the queue was longer than the Mississippi river, despite being on time i was number 44 on the line.

when it finally got to my turn I presented my documents including my call up letter which was issued to me from my school for authentication which I learnt that some crooks actually present fake call up letters.

We were screened according to our universities and we were given forms to fill in our information, at exactly 12 noon i finished my registration and was issued my NYSC identification number, the platoon i belong to, my khaki and other necessary kits with tags, I was given a mattress also and a hall which will be my home for the next three weeks.

Chapter II

I never experienced staying in a room with many different people from different backgrounds with different education and orientation, knowing fully well that the next couple of weeks will be an interesting one.

I made my way through series of double bunks stacked too close to each other, i knew for sure privacy is not an option , i tried to find an empty bunk to put my mattress, I saw vacant spaces but on getting there its either being reserved for a friend or the owner as gone for his mattress.

I began to wonder if this is how stressful NYSC orientation camp life is, yet with a tired look and fed up countenance I noticed a familiar face beckoning unto me.

First i looked back to be sure if someone was behind me or moved close to the person that gestured at me,I realised it was a ex school mate of mine, my relieve was so evident,"Guy how far!? Unaab abi? You don get space?,"I asked in pigin and he also replied," Me and my guy bin reserve space for one of our guy but he change him mind"

He showed me the empty bunk and I put my mattress on it in a haste, my luggage under the bed before he had a second thought.

The space was directly under the ceiling fan and under the bunk by the wall was a socket, i thought it was a dream till i pinched myself.

My bad day ended abruptly and I soon forgot my ordeal and became acquainted with my bunk neighbor kayode who happened to be friends with another ex school mate of mine whom i don't relate with but was glad to see another familiar face in a strange land.

CHAPTER III

Charles the friend and hostel mate who gave me a place to sleep my first night in Asaya camp called me to meet up with him at the popular Mami market which is a small area where trade takes place inside the camp, series of canteen, make shift resturants with bars could be seen all over the mami market.

Business saavy youths took the opportunity to help corpers charge their phones for a fee of 50naira because extension sockets weren't allowed in the hostels. Photographers can be seen in different aprons with the name of their studio boldly written on it persuading prospective customers to try their services, going as far to give discounts the more patronage they get from each client.

Large group of people could be seen all over dressed in the same white attire I was dressed in that it was nearly impossible to distinguish one person from the other.

I dialled my friend's number on my mobile phone to ascertain exactly where he was, his phone rang a couple of times befoe he picked," Charlie where dey now?," I askes and he replied,"I dey where dem dey fry yam and egg near the beer parlour where music dey play.

I followed the sound of the music to a small shop with tables and chairs arranged outside which could only accommodate 15 people at full capacity, a lady probably the sales girl could be seen checking what she was cooking on a stove inside the shop,the enticing aroma of pepper soup filled the air.

Few people could be seen inside both male and female waiting eagerly to be served by the side was a wooden shop with a sign displayed in front which read yam and egg ready.

I heard Charles's voice so I headed inside and saw him and some corpers seated with a plate of hot yam and egg, he looked up and saw me," where you dey since now? ,"he asked.

"I don dey wait you since nah? ",he said, I greeted the guys he was with and made my way to a small space by the wall next to him.

The fair complexion woman in her mid thirties approached our table to take my order and I decided to go with Charles order......

To Be Continued......