The Runaway Corper

“I’m not complaining now. I’m just voicing a concern…How long should we stay in town”- Runaway Jury a Novel (John Grisham)

It was John Grisham that wrote the runaway jury, though my thought it’s a little far away from the plot in the book, but as those called for jury service in that novel for a multimillion legal tobacco trial: men and women who have been investigated, watched, manipulated and harassed by high-priced lawyers and consultants who will stop at nothing to secure a verdict. That Novel was based on greed and corruption-with justice fighting for its life…Is Nigeria any different from that story?

Those lines above represent the current political situation in Nigeria, a situation based on greed and corruption with justice fighting for its life now. And we as corps members are men and women that have been called to service of our father land; for those of us in the North we have being caught in a hurricane of a twisted situation. Most of us were not prepared for the 24 hour curfew that came over the city of Kaduna on Sunday 17th June, 2012 so as it was relaxed on Tuesday, two days after it was imposed most of us saw it as an opportunity to run to the bank get money, head to the nearest market get provisions/food stuff and run back to our hiding places, it was in this process of urgent risk taking that we were caught in another riot; even the banks were not opened, they have also emptied their ATM’s, so it was double disaster; in the process of running to safety, the nearest army barrack like we were instructed to do, yours faithfully was running along with a neighbour I met at the Bank, the mother of a young promising boy, she was a bread winner for her family, grabbing her bag, with an elderly 'mummy' we might in a bus, we quickly alighted from the commercial  bus whose driver too, has took to his heel for safety- now boxed in danger in front and behind, and the point of safety about a kilometer away we made up our mind to take the chance but like Lots wife in the Bible, the aged mummy decided to look back going back for her provisions at the boot of the Bus, all persuasion to her in Yoruba ‘mummy e fi le, je ka ma lo’ (leave it lets go ma!) fell on deaf ear(prayed she made it), just some distance from the point we left behind appeared  a fearsome looking young men with shillelaghs, rods and sticks, destroying public/private properties, maiming with intent to kill, as we were running with the goal of safety on our mind, I saw to my left a young handsome man running for his dare life dropped to the floor presumed dead, turning to make sure my neighbour was keeping pace with me, I got a  smack to my right-side with intent to drop me to the ground from one of those irate-youth but my guardian  angels were on full duty, there was a propelling force that kept me on my feet and still running towards my goal; my neighbour seeing the danger to me and the other guy on the floor, fled to the right, that was all I heard or saw of her for the next 6 hours, I managed  to escape two more danger, one from the presumed ‘enemy’ and the others from a driver trying to escaped to safety too. I got to my destination with no physical injury but pain to my right hand only to be denied entrance for another 15 minutes with other fleeing citizens, luckily for me I had my ID-Card on me, and was granted entrance, there were many worrisome situation I saw at the military barrack, while holing up but my mind was with my neighbour, her bag with me, oh what will I tell her family, as soon as we were told that the roads were a bit safe again before the 24hours curfew was re-introduced, we managed to get home, this time with another set of women that had faith in me, not knowing I will do no man any harm on the way if we meet any danger, I called on my God to guide us, which He did and we got home, how we did, don’t ask me, that’s another story for another day but we are safe at least. In order not to trouble you with my story-my trying to establish a point, late in the evening my neighbour was brought home from the military hospital though she managed to escape with her life she was badly injured, I thank God for her safety.

In this entire crisis I saw a heartless generation that must quickly be given a heart, if not the North is doomed, it will destroy itself. I saw children that are religiously confused both Muslim and Christian, worst of all they do not belief in anything and they are more in number and can be bought by the highest bidder because they have no means of livelihood. They do not understand how a civilized society works; they wake-up with no life goal; viewing centres is their homes.

How can there be peace when a young man I do not know from Adam and have not wronged or am I indebted to, would appear on the street to do me harm, is that what God teaches, if that is what He teaches I follow no such religion or serve no such God, but I know better, wherever he is I pray God safe his soul if he is still alive because I understand my scriptures well. And for the system that brought us to the core-North, 5 day's into a major crisis there is no single SMS to reassure corps members of their safety, I do not blame the official here in Kaduna they too are running for their dare life’s, but what of the NYSC directorate in Abuja.

Please if any corps members runs away from active service because of this crisis, do not give them extension ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, though am tempted to, I will not-the Lord that has kept me for eight months, is able to keep me for the remaining four, as for me I will become more proactive with security issues, I will not dare the city until all is well. For corps members we are just anxious to leave the city of crocodile and get the hell out of town, abi na lie?