My name is Elekwa O. Elekwa. The “O” in my name stands for Ochie and Okechukwu. I hail from Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. I was born with my twin brother at General Hospital (now Abia State University Teaching Hospital) Aba, Abia State. My Nursery, Primary and Secondary Education were all in Aba Abia State; furthermore, I attended Abia State University, Uturu where I studied Architecture. This actually is not my autobiography; if need be, I still have many things to achieve before that. The little about me above is just to highlight that I have lived almost all my life in Abia State and the Eastern part of Nigeria. This article is a summary of some of the many things I observed and experienced during my service year.
NOT EVERY NORTHERNER IS HAUSA AND NOT EVERY NORTHERNER IS A TROUBLE MAKER!
For us, everyone from the North is an Hausa man or woman. I used to think that the Fulani are a group of Hausas that rear cattles not knowing that they are a tribe. Most of the people from Niger State are either Nupe or Gwari and other minor tribes, I once went to somewhere in this State (Maraba Guni) where I met people who neither speak nor understand Hausa but only Gbagi (Gwari people’s dialect). Even my friend Ogiri Joel from Nasarawa State who would be called an ‘Hausa man’ in the East will always tell me he is not Hause but Alago. I later researched, heard and read about more ethnic groups in the north that I never knew. They include; Kadara, Zuru, Koro, Baruba, Gana, Dibo, Kambari, Kamuka, Pangu, Dukkkawa, Gaada, Ingwal, Amo, and many others. Also, northerners are not trouble makers as we often think they are there will always be trouble makers everywhere in the world.
MOSQUES EVERY WHERE!
All through my life in Abia State, I saw only three (3) Mosques; one at Azikiwe by Asa road, another at Mosque Road (all in Aba) and the third one at Eket Road in Umuahia (Abia State Capital). But as I got to Minna, there were Mosques everywhere; very big ones as big as cathedrals, small ones and very small ones. In the street where I stay there are more than ten (10) Mosques, one is less than 15 metres from my window. I later figured out that the big mosques are used for Friday prayers and other special prayers while the small ones are used for everyday prayers. Apart from these block/built mosques, Moslems also pray anywhere with their mats if that place is not dirty. Mosques were also synonymous with plastic kettles and water.
I NEVER NEEDED AN ALARM CLOCK TO WAKE-UP BY 5!
During my stay in Minna, I discovered that Moslems pray 5 times daily (though from my research, there’s a sixth one by 7am-Shurooq, which is not obligatory). The prayer hours are 5am –Fajr, 12noon- Dhuhr, 4pm – Asr, 6pm –Maghrib then 7pm – Ishaa. If you can remember, I said earlier that there is a mosque less than 15m from my window; the mosque has a horn speaker, so the Fajr prayer served as my 5am alarm.
WHO’S IN CHARGE OF TAXI?
I noticed something about the Taxi drivers, 90% of these drivers are Yoruba. Did you notice that too?
VIGILS!
I actually thought vigils were only for Christians until the last ten days of the Ramadan fasting; that day, when the horn beside my window came on, I thought it was 5am only for my clock to say otherwise! I had to run to twitter to ask my twend @trueNija (he tweets Islamic stuffs on twitter) if the time for prayers have been changed from 5am to 1am, he then told me that Moslems have vigils everyday during the last days of the Ramadan fasting, those ten days were something else for me, I cannot forget them easily.
PURCHASING POWER!
The first time I heard of “purchasing power” during my service year was from The Chief Servant, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, CON. (Talban Minna) Executive Governor of Niger State. He used it during his interactive session with the Corps Members at the Orientation Camp; Corps Members were comparing the State Allowance in Niger State to other States, and the Chief Servant told us that the purchasing power in Niger State is not the same with those States. I later observed that too...
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH MINNA
Seventh-day Adventist Church Minna was my family during my service year. There I met wonderful, loving and lovely people. At the church, I met and made friends with so many people including my fellow Corps Members - Obiuto, Micah, Chinyere, Loveday, Ocheze, Otobong and David. The Church organized a ‘Corpers Day’ for us on the 13th of October 2012. I will really miss that family.
NCCF NIGER
I was not a part of NCCF during the Orientation Camp… after Passing Out from Orientation Camp, NCCF officers came and safe guarded our luggage and took them to the Family House. That was how I ended up with NCCF. I was a loner during the Orientation Camp; apart from my roommates, I made no new friends. But the NCCF Family House provided for me a ground to make more friends. I met wonderful people there – Mfon, Ayor, Mekus Moredays, Peter, Ogiri, Kaycee, Moses, Solomon, Alex, Mike, Bro. Moses (Mama), Abodunrin Dayo (Uncle) Godson, Ibrahim Ismaila (Papa), Oliver, Jackson, Justice, Ndubuisi, Paul, Sunny and so many other wonderful people. I also had a good time with the NCCF Choir and attended some Rural Rugged too.
MINISTRY OF WORKS CORPERS’ LODGE – KPAKUNGU
I was privileged to stay in the same lodge with wonderful people from all over Nigeria .We had good times; threw banters up and down, had political arguments as well as watched football games together; the arguments and shouting that follow were part of it too. We always stay awake after every UEFA Champions league game to analyze and argue. Of course, the Ronaldo/Messi argument comes up most of the times too. The Night after the Euro 2012 finals was the quietest night in the lodge because we supported different teams during the event, but that night, we supported Italy and Pirlo to win Spain. My lodge mates include Ogochukwu Aduba (Delta), Michael Amalu (Enugu) and Abiodun Animashaun (Lagos) Chelsea fans, Samson Egbefa (Delta) Man Utd., Ejireme Onos (Delta) Arsenal, Obinna Nwaroh (Enugu) Liverpool, Oghenero Ishieke (Delta) Real Madrid, Chinenye Nwegbo (Enugu) and Ikokpu Nsini Udo (Akwa Ibom) are not football fans. Another significant feature of this lodge was that out of the ten (10) Corps Members that resided there, four (4) were CDS Presidents : Ogochukwu – ICPC, Michael – Environmental, Ikokpu (Lala) – Red Cross and Elekwa – NYSC Band, Obinna and Chinenye were Treasurers in Sports CDS and NEMA . We were later joined in the lodge by another lovely set of Corps Members mostly from the Batch C – Henry, Ben, Nonso, Ify, Happy, Dabbie, Churchhill and others. I will miss all these wonderful people.
NYSC BAND AND MDGS
I attended MDGs lectures during the Orientation Camp and Graduated from the program. I have been involved with Parade Drums since 1999. But during the Orientation Camp, I did not join the Band because I was still acclimatizing to the weather. After the Orientation Camp, I joined the Band and went with them to various outings; one of which was the Inauguration of the SURE-P in Niger State by the Finance Minister Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. During my time in the band, I met wonderful among who are; Ifeanyi Oliver, Mike Uddin, Christy Kolo, Mfon, Jackson, Kayode, Otobong, Ijeoma, Lilian, Abigail, Innocent, Ngozi, Michaels, Nnaemeka, Wale, Ojukwu and so many other people there won’t be space to mention. I couldn’t join the MDGs CDS Group since I was already with the Band, but I still worked as a DKF for MDGs with Day Junior Secondary School Limawa where I met wonderful kids.
CONCLUSION
My phone’s contact can now boast of names from all over Nigeria! Thanks to NYSC. I also experienced how other tribes in Nigeria pronounce my name; most times, it can be lovely, funny and annoying too. I was once called Elekwuu O. Elekwuu.
My service year was filled with so many experiences that the space provided cannot enter them all. It was really a wonderful experience I will never forget and I will miss so many people. God will continue to bless my parents, siblings and friends who never relented in prayers and support all through this time. To God be the Glory for seeing us through this journey.
You can follow me on twitter @Elexharry
Elekwa O. Elekwa
08063344634
NG/12A/0612
