Day 6 - Sunday
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"Remember the Lords day to keep it holy. . ."
There was no morning biggle today. At least the military men and I had something in common; sundays are holy days and must be respected.
I slept peacefully and woke up that sunday morning. The ugly one did not return the previous night. After my sex-capade with oge, I returned to the hostel to meet an empty down bunk. After showering and listening at the un-ending argument of my hostel mates, I had slept off.
It was not surprising that he didn't come back. He must have slept at the friends place he told me about off camp. Afterall, sundays are visitation days and he could come into camp any time he wishes. At least, no one was going to claim the wager.
I dressed and got ready for service. I didn't know the particular fellowship to attend. NCCF and MCAN where the only recognised religious bodies at camp, yet others had their own venue too. I decided I was going for RCCF (Redeemed christian corpers fellowship). NCCF had the largest population, I just didn't want to join the crowd.
My phone rang and it was wangu, the assistant platoon leader. She complained that a lot of those assigned for kitchen duty for the morning breakfast didn't show up, and that they where just few there.
"The head of kitchen is threatening to report us to the camp commandant if we don't show".
She sounded very concerned. I promised her I was coming. I had completely forgotten that today was platoon 2's day for both kitchen work and sanitation work.
I picked my 'Gideons-free-not-to-be-sold bible, dusted it and headed for the camp kitchen, for the first time since I arrived camp.
I combed the hostel halls for some familiar platoon 2 faces I knew and pleaded with them to join me for the kitchen work. Some happily came along with me.
We got to the kitchen and met a handful of platoon 2 members. The kitchen cooks where still boiling hot water for tea. They needed more hands to carry the food to the sharing spot, and then those that will share it, and wash.
We kicked off as long queues were already waiting at all the sharing spots. We divided ourself into pairs as each pair took care of each spot.
Pour some tea, give out a loaf of bread while another ticks the meal ticket at the required spot.
Within an hour, breakfast was served. We joined the few other members of my platoon that where washing coolers and flasks to help them. After, we collected our own special loafs and had our breakfast right there in the kitchen. I bought boiled eggs from a shop close by and shared my platoon members on kitchen duty and we used the egg to supplement the bread for breakfast.
It was fun eating with my platoon members. The one that called herself adeola was busy yabbing asaya camp. She complained of a lot of things, ranging from the hostel bathroom, to stealing going on at the female hostel, to the poor quality of food and lots more.
I sat with my assistant and she asked me about those doing the sanitation duty. I had no idea if they were doing it already.
We both talked and I asked her about sargent banjo. She looked surprised, the look on her face gave her out.
"So you're going out with the officer", I commented, it wasn't a question.
"Who told you", she said as she looked at me with a strange look.
No one told me. I saw the way they connected when I introduced her to him. I've observed the special treatment he gives her during parade.
"I don't need to be told. I noticed it". I was honest with her.
"We are not really going out per say", she informed me, "he's just interested in me".
"The kind of stories I hear about military men isn't what a fine girl like you should be part of", I informed her.
"But he seems nice. He doesn't womanise".
"Is he married?", I asked.
"Yea, but his wife is far away in zaria".
I wondered how a married man with wife at zaria who was going after a corper does not fall into the category of womaniser.
I offered her a piece of advice as she listened keenly. After that she asked;
"Why do you even care self", it was a question I had earlier asked myself earlier during the conversation.
"You are my assistant, I don't want anyone to break your heart for me".
She was looking at me with all seriousness, so I added,
"And you are a very pretty girl, with bright future. You deserve more than a married military man".
She was touched and was almost blushing.
"Were you going for church service?" She asked.
"Yes", I replied.
"Wait for me let's go together nau".
She had not even taken her bath. There was no way I could wait for her. So I declined.
"I will call you when I return from church", I told her and it seems she was satisfied with that. I left for church service.
I got to RCCF and was ushered in. A lot of corpers must have recognised me as I got friendly smiles from so many faces as I sat down. It was a nice service session. They did a small talk show where the audience were involved. A member of the audience would be asked to picked a question or speech number at random, then he will pick any question number and the anchor will read out what he was required to do.
I saw as a fine lady usher whispered to the anchor of the program and he who looked towards me before saying;
"The next pick will come from the platoon 2 leader! Put your hands for. . ."
I stood and picked number
2, telling the anchor that;
"If given the opportunity, what are the things you will love to change in asaya camp"
Gehn! Genh!
I didn't think much, I just reproduced the complains adeola was making at the kitchen earlier:
The hostel bathrooms and toilets, the food served at the kitchen. . .
I could hear affirmative comments from corpers around the church as they felt I just hit the nail on the head:
Yes!
Exactly!
Truth!
Gbam!
Those where words I was hearing as I went on and on.
Their was a thunderous clap when I dropped the microphone. I felt like a real celebrity.
The anchor asked for another round of applause for me as they clapped for me again. Then he asked me to stand again:
"Bros, don't be offended, shey you are the platoon leader?"
I nodded.
"As a leader, please tell us how you plan to impact positively on your platoon and set good examples for them to emulate"
Gehn! Gehn!
Now I knew the guy was out to embarrass me!
I remembered the events of the morning as the church was silent again to hear me speak. I dare not disappoint them.
I did not.
I explained the role of a leader, and stressed the importance of leadership by example: using this morning's activity as an example. I informed them how my platoon was supposed to be on kitchen duty, and upon getting an alarming call that they were relenting, I had to enter the boys hostel and mobilise them myself. I even stayed back and helped in the kitchen - a perfect illustration of leadership by example.
The crowd roared as claps echoed inside the hall.
This feels good!
"Bros no vex. . .stand again. . .
After the service, the usher who whispered to the anchor of the program walked up to me. She introduced herself and acted surprised that I didn't recognise her face.
"I'm chifawu, a member of you platoon".
We talked as we walked back towards her hostel. She wore light makeup and a very simple hair style.
She told me she was from auchi in Edo state and schooled at Ambrose Ali University.
"I studied english and literary studies, so I work mostly at the obs"
I asked what exactly she does at obs and she told me. It was fun speaking with her as she was very intelligent.
"Where exactly are you going?" She asked as we got very close to the female hostel and I was yet to turn back.
"I want to walk you inside and make sure you are safe", I teased her and she laughed.
"More like your guardian angel", I added.
"I promise you, I am safe, so you can go".
"Alright, just to be sure, dial your number here so I can call and be at peace that you are always safe", I teased again as I brought out my phone and handed to her.
She smiled as she typed in her number. She dialled it to get mine and stored them both.
I walked towards the kitchen to check on my platoon members preparing the afternoon food.
I didn't see wangu, but adeola and some other new people were there. They hailed me as I entered.
"What did you bring for us nau", some asked.
I learnt they were preparing rice and chicken. I saw the kitchen staff carrying trays of fried chicken. I helped them a bit in the washing before I left. I called wangu and she said she left to take her bath, she would join them later.
The queue for the sunday afternoon rice and chicken was much. Long lines and crowds of corpers lined up with their food flasks, waiting to be served.
Some platoon 2 members lining up outside tried to join us inside the kitchen, but the kitchen staff refused.
We served the food and washed off the flasks before settling down inside the kitchen to eat ours. There was large chunks of uncut chicken reserved for us. I and wangu got two of those as leaders.
After the meal, wangu and I went to a small joint close to the male hostel. I asked her to wait inside the joint as I rushed inside to drop my bible.
Its the lord's property!
I got to the hostel and the ugly one was playing loud music with his music payer. He informed me that he has been looking for me. That was when we exchanged numbers. He said I should come with him to mami, but I informed him that someone was waiting for me at the shop beside the hostel. He insisted on coming along, so we went.
I sat with wangu as we talked freely about everything. The ugly one was not comfortable with the joint. He wanted to go to mami and buy some spirits. I sat and enjoyed my can bear with wangu.
A military man entered the joint, and looked our direction.
His face cringed at the sight of wangu and I.
Wangu also had an alarmed look all over her. . .
The military man started approaching our table, ignoring whatever it was he wanted to buy from the counter. . .
As he got closer, I recognised his face deep inside the cap he wore. . .
It was sargent banjo, my platoon commander.
The look on his face meant all was not well. He looked at me like he was going to squeeze the life out of me.
Wangu was very uncomfortable. Obviously, there was something she had not told me. . . She was hiding something. . .
Something that was going to put me in trouble. . .
And make my stay in camp terrible. . .
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