If na your sister you go allow her do this thing?”
You know how you'll be required to be a certain way because of your profession? Or how people already have ideas about you because of your occupation? For example, we all associate lousiness with ‘market women’ but aren't there market women who go to their stands or shops at the market everyday and just do the necessary cajoling, sell their stuff and go home when it's time? We associate receptionists and waitresses as you know what, we expect all teachers to be strict. We see soldiers and become shaken because a soldier doesn't smile with civilians or with anybody at all.
I can't lie, I was really terrified seeing so many soldiers in one place when I first got to camp. I've always had this deep love and respect for the complete soldiers kit and their carriage, but now I know from experience that it is a different thing to admire them from afar and a different thing to be in the same space for a whole three weeks and be completely under their commands. Maybe I'm just a scared girl naturally, because how were people standing and gisting with soldiers and laughing? Me that was always quickening and slowing my pace when I realise a soldier walking behind or in front of me? How then were these other guys holding conversations?
Soldiers are humans too, of course I knew this before the assigned day for drills for platoon 10 but as you read further, you'll find out what solidified this knowledge.
We did drills platoon by platoon, and just once, thankfully. On the assigned day for platoon 10, we dressed in full khaki and jogged from the parade ground to the training ground. We were given a lengthy orientation before we were allowed to begin. The soldiers and cadets in charge made sure to repeat “if you know you cannot do it, step aside” more than 3 times.
Everything was going smoothly; the fit and willing people had begun the training and the morale was high. It'll seem unbelievable but I enjoyed every single part of the drills and I did every part we were allowed to do; ropes, intense laps, weight lifting, e.t.c,. We weren't allowed to be with our phones though so the only evidence I have are the pictures taken by the photographers and a few pictures I took before we began. We got to one section that required you to hold a rope tied to an iron above your head and swing to cross to the other side. The soldiers on the training ground weren't smiling, it was obvious that they didn't have time to waste with anyone who couldn't do the task within the time limit. This particular one was a bit challenging as it required a lot of stamina so a soldier was assisting the girls who couldn't swing on their own. A guy in front of me asked, “why are you helping them? Leave them let them jump, shebi they said they want to do?” but the soldier went, “if na your sister you go allow her do this thing?”
There were so many other shocking instances. I saw our camp commandant giving some ladies his time during free time one day, he stood in the open with them talking and even laughing sometimes.
Not to forget this other soldier that came from behind and sat close to me at the OBS stand and commented on my hair, he literally said, “ I like this your hair, pay me let me plait the next one for you when you loose it”.
Written and edited by: Naze Sewuese
Photos: the first photo was taken by me before my turn, the rest were taken by paid photographers.
PS: if you're planning to take more than 100 photos, please take a lot of money too. The photos will be tempting and it'll be sad to leave some behind.
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