MY CAMP SERIES: EPISODE 1

Destiny helpers in camouflage

On swearing in day, the 27th of November, 2023, a guy in my platoon received special recognition from the representative of the Executive Governor of Kebbi State. It was the best thing I had the privilege to experience during my time in camp.

After practicing since Monday and being part of the frontliners for each platoon, Gospel assumed he could no longer be in front of platoon 10 as he didn't have the NYSC combat boots because of course, his size wasn't there like some of us, but even worse.

That morning, we'd practiced with the soldiers and were ready to salute and take all the commands from our general parade commander. There were a lot of cameras everywhere as everyone posed for their first photos in complete khaki attire. Don't forget to take pictures on this day, it's one of the days in camp that you can join anybody's selfie and not get the bad eye.

Anticipating the special guest of the occasion, platoon officers and camp officials began to move about inspecting defaulters in forms of wrong outfits, noisemakers, e.t.c,. A few minutes to the time for action, one of the officials in charge. came and looked curiously at the front line and not finding Gospel there as usual, he asked, “where that chunkuli?” and we replied that he was behind. Before then, a girl behind me brought my attention to the fact that our ‘star’ was behind and not in his usual front position and we concluded that it was because he didn't have combat boots because we didn't know he was deliberately changed. We later found out that an official who came earlier noticed Gospel in his white canvas instead of the NYSC combat boots and made him switch positions with another properly dressed member of the platoon. Anyways, this second official wasn't pleased and asked Gospel to return to his original position. With much hesitation, he agreed and performed all his duties as frontliner, perfectly.

Just before the end of the ceremony, the representative of the Executive Governor asked to do something. He came down from the stage and requested to have a picture with “the man of the day”. He didn't stop there, he also requested a special posting for him at the government House. In his words, “if the government House is not good enough, put him somewhere better”.

I felt a burst of joy because myself and the girl from earlier had sympathised and hoped for the best for him. It was too good to be true.

Gospel is small in size and there was every possibility that he wouldn't have been noticed with the position he was placed before the last minute. He didn't have any power to put himself back there because of course, he was not completely dressed. In any other situation, he could have been punished for wearing the wrong footwear, but instead, his destiny was in front and nothing could stop it.