First things first - even before camp

I have to tell you how I found out I had been posted to Kano!

I was coming to the end of my housemanship which marked the formal completion of my initial training to be a Dentist. I don't quite remember when we found out that our NYSC call-up letters would soon be ready for pick up but what I do remember was the pure sense of dread that I felt at the very thought of it.

I am from Lagos State so even before I got the letter I just knew that my prospects weren't great! I was certain I would be flung to the farthest parts of the country just for 'daring' to hail from Lagos State. Haha!

Also, I had actually had a bit of a 'trial run' the previous year, when there was a mix up and some of us had actually been allocated to places for NYSC even though we were yet to complete our housemanship. I had been posted to Borno state at the time and although I was grateful to be in the middle of house job I wasn't holding out much hope for a better posting. If anything, it got me pretty worried about where I would be getting in the actual posting!

Anyway, the day came I went to the office as quickly as my legs could carry me picked up my call up letter and tore into it both quickly and carefully. Ungogo, Kano. KANO. Hadn't there been rioting and killings in Kano very recently? Absolutely NO WAY was I going to KANO!!!!

I remember calling my Aunty first. I knew she had links with people in the NYSC directorate and I was crying so much I could barely get the words out. "Aunty, I was posted to Kano! I am not going to Kano, Aunty" I said while sobbing as though someone had just died! My Aunty reminds me of that call now and again. Hahaha!

Anyway, I was most definitely not going to Kano. Or so I thought. My Aunty was now left with the task of performing magic and getting me a new posting.

Needless to say that didn't happen.

But before I jump the gun let me continue the story. So, while my Aunty was going to try and pull a few strings for me, I very reluctantly agreed I would go to Kano for the 3 weeks of camp so I didn't end up missing out on that NYSC batch and have to wait for the next batch which would have been in 2005. But in my mind, it was just those three weeks. I just needed to brace myself to get through 21 days SAFELY and by the end of it, my Aunty was going to have done some sort of magic using her connections and I would be re-posted to a nicer, more palatable place.

I spent 12 months in Kano.

Find out how I got on at Camp. Buy the book here.