In the beginning, when you were first given the uniform, there’s this pride that one exhibits, it is a sign of achievement as you’ve made it through your very long education in the university all thanks to the various strikes internal and ASUU strikes and younger ones who see you on your khaki uniform look longingly at you knowing one day they’d also be part of the scheme.
Hails of “corpers wee” or “corpers shun” makes you happy and proud and then you respond eagerly.
Months or weeks later, everything gets stale, you’re reluctant to wear the uniform, you realize you can barely survive on the meagre monthly allowance. Life after school and being independent is not as easy as you think and it is not any easier when prices of goods and services go up once it is discovered that you’re a corp member.
Locals believe you’re in money, hence, a thing of joy and pride becomes something you try to hide. You get irritated and sometimes angry when the hails come “corpers wee”, “corpers shun”. You just frown and ignore the hailers because they don’t know. They don’t understand, they know nothing of the struggle. And before you know it, you just join others in saying, NYSC is a scam.
Nevertheless, NYSC has its numerous benefits. Important personalities, soulmates, future husbands and wives, best friends for life, good friends and even frenemies are met within one year. Some very few will be able to save money, some start scrambling for something to save towards the end of their service year, while some don’t at all, spending with the mentality of “you only live once”.
The passing out of corp members bring them to the realization of how the struggle is real, that even the 19,800 though small still solve some financial issues. To that ex corp member, keep the faith up, brace up and be positive no matter what. To the serving corp member, do whatever job you’re doing with all diligence.