NYSC: National Year Of Sex And Comfort Episode 33 By MaziOmenuko

Wangu and I left the restaurant and I headed to the hostel to freshen up before the biggle for morning lectures will start.

The ugly one was going through the contents of his locker when I returned. He rushed to meet me as I sat on bed down bunk. He knew I went to Ms Enoh's, so he was expecting a load down of events.

I told him everything, deliberately skipping the first embarrassment of my c.o.ming too early. We guys love gloating about our escapades, but hardly share our f'ck'ups with each other.

He hailed me when I finished with the tale. He was very impressed as he listened attentively as I wrapped up the tale with this morning adventure.

"Bravo!" He hailed as I went out to take my bath.
When I returned, the ugly one was arranging some papers on his bed. He looked serious and was very meticulous about it. I dressed up and asked what the papers were for.

"My medical papers." He answered.

"You mean the fake ones you use for dodging morning parade?" I asked nonchalantly but turned around to look at his face when he didn't answer.

"They are not fake." He muttered. "They are real."
I drew close to look at the papers. It had the letter head of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri with other smaller attached papers indicating lab results and others.

"What medical condition do you have then?" I asked, surprised at this new twist. I remembered him telling me they were fake papers and he needed them just to dodge the parade.

"I'm a sickler, and I had asthma." He said coldly.
I was surprised. I knew he looked sick and frail, with his big head and tiny neck, but never knew he was a sickler.

How on earth does he manage to drink and smoke heavily like that with those medical conditions?
We talked for sometime. He showed me his drugs, the balm, mint and other oral drugs.
"I'm going to submit the papers at the office, it will be used to facilitate my redeployment." He said.

"You are going back to imo state?" I asked.
"Of course. The only fun in nysc is this 3 weeks camping. After the camp, your primary assignment is going to be hectic and will surely leave a bitter taste in your mouth." He said.

"It can't be that bad!" I had to object.

"It is! You will be sent to a place and be expected to adapt and start working immediately. You will be paid stipends, not enough to buy a bottle of Remi Martins. And worst of it all, some of the ppa's don't give accommodation. You will squat in a hostel with other corpers or forced to pay for accommodation."

Wow! I had really never thought about place of primary assignment, which is going to take up the large chunk of the one year. I couldn't imagine myself being sent to one of the local and interior villages of kogi. Sometimes, while at camp, I hear people make jokes of interior areas like ogori/mongogo and other places.

One year in a bush!

"I'm going back to imo. There are few oil companies drilling oil in egbema land. With my dad's connection, I will for sure be working in one of them." He informed me.

It was obvious he had all things worked out already. He must have planned it even before coming to camp. He was going to apply for redeployment on health grounds, he had all his papers ready.

For once, I sat back to think ahead. I have been basking in the euphoria of camp that I forgot it was just three weeks, that the bulk of the service thingy lay on the place of primary assignment. Ms Enoh had once mentioned that I would likely be posted to a secondary school to teach. How will I survive a village secondary school for a full year. I decided I was going to make some enquiries about possible best places to do your ppa at kogi. Then I would ask Ms Enoh to help me work my deployment to that place. If she can't, she will always have links on how it could be done. Also, her office mate, Mrs. Okhi was in charge of deployments. So one way or the other, I was going to work out something.

"What are you thinking of?" The voice of the ugly one brought me back to reality.

"Nothing much, just the possibility of getting a good ppa."

"Redeploy to somewhere else now. There's nothing in kogi except secondary schools and ministries. You are an engineer and you don't need to waste your one year doing office works or teaching mathematics to some block heads." He said smiling. It was a long shot, I had no redeployment papers, so it was obviously going to be an impossible task.

I decided I was going to ask around and know where to work my ppa.

I once saw the Winners Corpers'
Fellowship Tent behind the temporary bathrooms on the way to the Mami market. They had corpers of previous batches come to camp to advice corpers on what to do. I moved to the tenth to seek advice.

There were a lot of them that morning while I got there. They attended to me with opens arms like they've been expecting me all day. They were warm and welcoming. They all paid attention to me as I told them the small dilemma I faced. I wanted a good place for my PPA and I had someone who would help me work it. I wanted to hear from them, their PPA's, Local governments, how much they are paid, what the environment is like, how expensive things were, how welcoming are the people; and above all, how fine are the girls although I didn't ask the last one; it was god's house and I've learnt my lessons about messing up in his house.

"I serve at a secondary school in Ogori/mangogo. Its a suburb, the people are friendly, they schools pay N5,000, almost the highest at kogi." Said the guy who identified himself as Ayodele. "You will get to drink a lot of palm wine and bust meat." He concluded and they all laughed.

"I serve here in kabba local govt. council. There is no work to do, we just sign attendance every morning then return to the corpers lodge. Its kind of boring, I'm still looking for what to be doing to supplement and keep myself busy." Said the second guy. I didn't need to ask him how much they pay. I can't imagine myself staying idle for an entire year!

"My PPa is at Ibaji Local Govt
where you have to go on water to cross from Idah to the Local Govt and the boat moves just once in a week thats on tuesday market day. If you ever miss that boat, you have to wait a week later for the next market day."

Jesu kristiii!!!

I kept listening hard.

"I'm serving at ejuku, in yegba east local governement," said a lady seated opposite me. "the general pay in most local govts in kogi is N1,000 per month. My local govt pays it as a sum at the end of your stay, that is 11k when you are passing out. Its only the villages like ogori mangongo that pays better."

God, please, let me get a good news.

"What of Lokoja, the state capital?" I had to ask after enduring the long discouraging talks. They exchanged glances with each other for some time like there was something secret I wasn't supposed to hear. Then, finally, Ayodele opened up.

"Don't ever work your service to Lokoja." Others nodded to concur.

"What is wrong with Lokoja?" I had to ask.

"Extreme weather condition; the heat in Lokoja is round the year. The power supply at Lokoja is pathetic! Towns outside Lokoja enjoys power supply than Lokoja. There is accomodation wahala, rooms are very expensive and most ppa's don't provide accomodation. There is also a limited place of primary assignment."

Wow!

"Although there are opportunities at Lokoja to make extra cash like private lessons, exam runs, computer lessons and so on."

I nodded my head as I listened to them give their invaluable advice.

"My ppa is at ofu local govt. A suburb that links to the east. Asaya is 5 hrs from ofu. Kogi is not friendly I must tell you. If you are posted to the kogi east regions wich consists of ofu, igalamela/
odolu, idah, ibaji, ankpa, dekina, bassa, olamboro, please never try to pursue their women!" One of them said and they all laughed.
I thought it was a joke but he seriously continued.
" The igala people don't joke wt there ladies, they might kill or hurt u if u sleep wt dia ladies. So, jst go there and serve your father land." He concluded.

That's it!

I've heard enough! What sort of tribe will hurt you if you sleep with their ladies? At least, I've learnt one important thing, if I'm going to endure a one year of ppa at kogi state, I must not get posted to the kogi east regions.

You can't deny a man money, and still deny him girls to f'u'c'k!!!

Never!

The biggle for lectures was blown and I headed to the lecture hall.

Oge saw me and walked up to me.

"Where have you been hiding?" I asked her.
"Hide ke? I actually dodge the lectures. But it seems the military men has found out and they are being strict with us at the female hostel."

"How are thingd going?" She asked and I told her how hectic its been with the job as a platoon leader.

"Well, we can always go to our hideout and relax anytime," she said with a smile on her face.

"Yea," I replied without giving it a second thought. Its been days now since I made out with her at the restaurant. Considering the fact that I already made out with the attendant at the restaurant, I didn't want complications.
But Oge was serious.
"What of this night?" She asked.

This night!

I already had plans with wangu. She had whispered in my ears that morning that she found out a packing store at the one of the registration offices we could stay and make out. She was sure the place was isolated and secured.

According to her, the officials use it as office during the day and lock it at night. But one of the officials sent her there on an errand one evening after close of work, the official just asked her to pull the padlock that it would open. It happened that the padlock was spoilt, so the just lock it and in the morning when they come to work, they pull it open by applying a small force.

I didn't know the excuse to give to oge, I couldn't think of any as at then, so I agreed on meeting her later.
Before then, I would come up with an excuse and call her to cancel the date.

I looked forward to the date with Wangu; it was going to be a long day, but the thought of the events waiting on me for the night kept my heart warm. . .

It was worth it. .