The NYSC Orientation Camp in a Different Light

As a headnote: I wrote this article when I was in camp during my orientation. It was published in  Oyo state NYSC bulletin called the Periscope. Now that the Batch C corps members are going to their various orientation camps, I want to use the opportunity to share it again.

In the course of preparing to go for the three-week orientation programme, which is the first phase of the National Youth Service Corps, would-be corps members are told all sorts of scary stories and exaggerations that make them dread going to the camp. However, my experience has proven otherwise.

In my opinion, the three-week orientation camp is a place where graduates from various reputable institutions all over Nigeria come together to achieve one goal; service to our motherland and great country, Nigeria. The camp is run by diligent camp officials who ensure that each moment in camp is scheduled for one activity or the other. These activities instill basic skills and values in corps members that make them better when imbibed.

Parade: The parade ground also known as holy ground, “holy” implying that when on it corps members are expected to respect it by behaving appropriately.  When on the parade ground, we learn to be disciplined, by not engaging in unnecessary discussions or causing distractions; to be on the alert and be attentive, by performing the right body movement when the order is called for; to be patriotic, by respecting the recitation of the NYSC anthem, the National anthem and the hoisting of the National flag.

Drills and Man O’ War: They are simply exercise routines that help us to keep fit, not chores, as most corps members see it. As we all know, regular exercise is required for better body metabolism, for proper blood circulation, and to keep the heart in good condition.

Sports and Social activities: Sports are another form of exercise and are pastimes for some individuals. In the camp, we have football and volleyball; social activities such as cultural dance, drama, singing, cooking, pageantries, etc. Corps members are given the opportunities to showcase their talents on stage and are also allowed to anchor shows. These activities are channels of talent discovery and we all have talents which we need to discover and work on.

Lectures: We are all students because we learn every day, either through our personal experience or from the experience of others, from the media, from books or in the classroom. Lectures offered in camp which are free are usually from reputable organisations such as NDLEA, and from respectable individuals. They also offer training in various courses like management, computer training, foreign languages, and many others at subsidised fees. Is it not a golden opportunity one must not miss?

In conclusion, the three-week orientation camp is an opportunity waiting to be harnessed and a platform for self discovery and development. Would-be corps members would also come to us someday to seek advice before travelling to their various camps and we should make it a point of duty to tell them about the orientation camp in a different light.             

  

                                                                                               



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