31/08/2024
Nigerians are sleeping.
On the evening of my first day at NYSC Camp in Ede, Osun State, Mrs. Ariyo suddenly stood up from the raised block where we were sitting. She gestured quickly for me to stand too. Confused, I stood with her.
I looked around and saw that everyone was standing with their hands down by their thighs as if the entire universe had hit pause. My first thought was "they're probably singing the national anthem." That’s normal.
But then, with a straight look at the camp’s main gate, I spotted a short man in a military uniform blowing a trumpet like he was announcing the start of rapture.
I looked out and saw the field far away, filled with NYSC members standing like a group of soldiers in white t-shirts and shorts (what we describe as white fowls). Drums lay on the ground, untouched, with no one playing them. I became more confused.
“Nope, they’re not singing the anthem,” my mind said, because singing the national anthem goes with playing drums. “Maybe some top military officials are about to stroll through the campsite, and we’re expected to give them a standing ovation or something like that.”
I kept guessing until everyone finally resumed their normal activities, and we sat back down. I turned to Mrs. Ariyo and asked, “what just happened?” She wrote on a piece of paper, "Nigerians are sleeping."
I read it, and my face twisted in increased confusion. "Wait, you mean all Nigerians? Even the wicked get to sleep too?" I asked, “how exactly are we sleeping?”
She replied, “Nigerians sleep at 6 PM and wake up at 6 AM.” Oh, I found that particular camp idea very funny. New knowledge, of course.
Whatever that was supposed to mean, I took it as, "Welcome to camp, Izuu!" — my interesting introduction to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp.
