HEART OF EVERYTHING

Had I been dreaming? How could faith be so cruel? Has that day finally come. Was I forsaken?

My name is Nigeria and here goes my story.

I lived my life in paradise. As god, I shaped the world around me. I had riches  oth man-made and God-made. I thought the world was in my hands, but how wrong was i. the hands of faith snatched everything from me. So I started on the never ending quest for answers. Why did he bless me, yet curse me. I tried going into his world, tried to understand the patterns he left for all to see. I wanted him to see how much I yearned for him. What was my purpose? Why was l here? What was the heart behind everything?

Am I the last of my kind? Was it true what they had said, the the world was in our hands, were we to only try to find a way into his world. I wanted to understand the algorithms which he could excute this mathematically impossible planet called earth or was this earth or just another planet hell? So I decided to bring together people of different tribe, belief and culture into my house, hoping he could see how much I cared and loved his creations so he could let me into his world and give me what I yearned for.

But the dust of silence blew me away. Why all this pains and sorrows in this world? What were my mistakes, why all these lies? I knew I had to look above the truth and lies, but whay was he clothed in secrets. It tore me apart to sacrifice it all but yet I was greeted with sllence. I could not take this anymore. I do not want to lose what I had. I must see through his eyes, I must break through the surface and reah for his hands. I can no longer justify all this pain in his world. I must find the truth beneath the rose.

How could he be so cruel? I lay in my dying bed unfulfilled. My time ran out and my future was upon me and there was no escape. Was this day, the end of my tomorrow? Fear of the unknown clouded my thought. So this was my end. As my music died, I recalled all my wasted moments, am I never going to dance again?

What sound was that? Where was it coming from? Was it all in my head? Then I heard it. “mortal, come into my world, see through my eyes and see the best way of living between the truth and lies was to see who I am” He continued, “when you stay low, nothing happens. You have to stand your ground, you must not give in. with my last adding strength I asked him what I longed for. What was the hear of everything?

Then I heard so many voices say in synchronization “SACRIFICE”. What does it mean? I could not be this close and yet not get the answer I so desire. With the last strength in me I raised my hands. It was then I saw him. I felt his hands of faith upon me and He said:

NIGERIA, OPEN YOUR EYES, SAVE YOURSELF FROM FADING AWAY AND THEN YOU WOULD SEE WHAT YOU WOULD BECOME. THIS IS TRULY THE HEART OF EVERYTHING. NIGERIA, THIS IS NOT YOUR END.

ERO OSAZE

BY/12B/1293

LOOKING BEYOND THE SUPERFICIAL AND MAKING THE BEST OUT OF SITUATIONS

Sometimes in life, we find ourselves in certain places. Places we would never wish to be under normal circumstances. If we let our negative opinions or fears about such places get the better part of us, or fail to realize that God has special reasons for everything, we end up missing out on all the good things God kept in store for us.

The NYSC camp had always enjoyed the number one spot on my “places I never want to spend a moment in” list. I hated and dreaded it so much that I spent the whole of my third year in the university praying that the scheme gets scrapped before I become a graduate.

Till the day I stepped into camp, I never imagined myself there. This made me spend my first two days in camp whining about the environment. Then I thought to myself, “there must be the good side of the camp”

Three days into camp, I joined the Orientation Broadcasting Service (OBS). I actually joined to escape the parade and drills but then I figured that there was more to it than met the eyes. It’s crew members made me realize how wrong it is to judge people from afar without giving them the chance to prove themselves or getting to know them. I learnt that in the same way a book cannot be judged by its cover, individuals cannot be judged based on their physical appearances as looks alone reveal their potentials, capabilities and experiences.

The fact that our leaders in camo did not give up on us despite our shortcomings and lackadesical attitudes taught to give people as many chances as possible and help them realize their potentials and inner strength.

I made some real friends in camp who in one way or the other have served some sort of purpose in my life. These friends always give me reasons to be grateful to God for bringing us together and to Nigeria for coming up with the NYSC scheme.

 In all, overcoming the “horrible and unfair” obstacles in camp made me conscious of my potentials. Exposing me to thousands of strangers from varying backgrounds, with different ideologies has altered a lot about my social life positively.

Ironically, the most dreaded place holds some of my most cherished moments. I’m glad I found myself in NYSC Kaiama camp ground and made the best out of camp by learning some good lessons.

NWAIGWE MARILYN .C.

BY/12B/1624

MY BABY CHICKENS…

You’d have to admit, 2012 has been a tragic year. From the very beginning when the subsidy removal shut down the country to the increasing security tensions, the plane crash, bribery scandals, kidnappings and social networking crimes, it takes more than willpower and restraints not to passionately lash out on poor governance and the other mantras we and our dear activists would chant. I intend, however, to focus on one of these issues that have confounded us.

If you remember the popularity of social networking not long after the arrival of the internet and mobile phones (GSM) took communications to a whole new level. Unlike when we had to depend on unreliable NIPOST or NITEL back on the days, we can now make friends, get business networks, spread information, chyke new babes, break up with boring boyfriends and acquire new “runs”. However, Cynthia Osokuguo’s death brought a sobering perspective to this innovation. Really, how safe are we? How “classified” are our personal information?

We always knew that this crime was in the system, we felt it wouldn’t affect us. But it will be a wrong notion for us to pretend its non existence. A lot of people, including corps members have fallen victim to men, STDs, terrible financial and even spiritual situatios because of people they me and allowed into their lives, on way or the other. Looking critically at it now, it is clear to any sensible human being that our security in life is first our persona property before the governments.

I don’t judge Cynthia, I didn’t know her btu she was young and a “networker” like us. The only difference is that it led to her murderers. It could have been you or i. why her? We may never know, but it is a caution for us, to take note of who we give our pins/emails to, call our BB, FB, Twittwit, 2Go friends and allow them know our privy information. After all, it is only a man’s friend who knows how best to kill him.

Some guys will say “babes take note” but I will tell you men to even be more careful because just as guys “organize girls” so also women. They just haven’t been caught yet.

So like a mother hen addressing her baby chicks, I will not say don’t talk to strangers, but I have a list of dos and donts; please re-read the security tips given to you byt the NYSC. Screen again the friends you have or are about to invite into your cyberspace, it is safer to be reserved… SHINE YOU EYE.

NNAEMEKA CHINYERE

BY/12A/1701

FOCUS

Yes! The one year service has come to an end. If you look back to your service year and all you could give account of is only a few dough in your pocket, few extra things to take home and other small items given to you by those who considered your service year as suffering while your other colleagues serving somewhere else can boast of owning a car, a good job at hand and above all, a house of their own during the course of service. You wondered, and ask yourself, where did I get it wrong? Am I not able? Is the world against me?

Let me remind you that the ways of men are not the ways of God. In order to accomplish great things in life, focus is needed. The fact that a friend is ahead of you doesn’t make you less n life. What will make your friend look grater than you is when you lose focus of yourself and the purpose of your existence. We accomplish more by focus than by fitness. In most cases, the man that is best suited for a place does not always fit in. it is the man that focuses on its very possibility that makes an art of both his work and his life. You must be that man. You must remember that the time-set for every man’s success is different from each other. Do not expect that you will always have easy sailing. Parts of your journey are likely to be rough, don’t let the rough places put you out of commission. Keep on with the journey. Just the way the weather of a storm is, so also you have to show the world what material you are made of. Do not let your mistake of  the past weigh you down. Think of it as a mere incident that has to be overcome before you can reach your goal. You are made for a purpose and you will fulfill that purpose only if you stay focused in life. As you prepare for life after service, do not lose focus and you will attain greater heights.

OSIBANJO OLUREMI OMOWALE

BY/11C/0341

LIFE IS A BOOK

Life is a book with many pages; each day is a new page, where everything about you is written and it moves continually till the day the book is closed.

In the early stages of life, we were taught and we learned how to do things in life, at school, home, through peer groups, friends and even our environment.

In my growing stage, a page was open to record all I could do on my own, having been taught from various groups, corrections were made to perfect me and enable me stand among my equals.

As I keep moving in the phases of life, a stage where another page would be open to face new challenges through learning, without a tutor or any relatives but from instructors, friends and peer groups, how to manage resources, advices, self-discipline etc became a sole responsibility.

Still running through life, pages were open to serve my country as a corp member in a place I knew nobody as friend or family, but to start a new phase of life having been through 3 weeks of rudimentary exercises to reshape me for the ablity to face the reality of life. Life as a corps member isn’t easy but the facts remain that the maximum utilization of my page will earn me no regret serving my fatherland. Through my primary place of assignment (PPA) and most especially Community Development Service (CDS) as well as keeping a good relationship with my fellow corps members.

Remember that every page that goes can never be rewritten, so what then is written on your page as a corps member as what is written on every page stands as your footprints

If you cannot remember what is written in the early pages of your life; make a good memory of your service year.

KASSIM FATIMA OMOMO

BY/12A/1091