My 13-Hour Journey to NYSC Camp: A Drama in Several Acts

The journey started at 12 pm, well, for the bus. For me, it started at 4 am, waking up under heavy rain because the transport company insisted we must be at the pickup point by 7/8 am-ish. So there I was, thoroughly drenched, but obedient.

Three buses arrived around 11:30 am, but the one going to my destination? Nowhere to be found. Mary and I were just standing there, unsure if they had forgotten us entirely, but still keeping hope alive.

Before that 11:30 bus came, I was famished. I bought rice and chicken, shout out to Cushy Cuisine, but I couldn’t eat properly because my nerves were already doing gymnastics.

By 11:45 am, we started disturbing the group chat, and finally someone said the bus had left Ibadan. Oluwa ese o. When it eventually arrived, with about ten other colleagues, the driver casually announced that nobody told him he was supposed to pick myself and Mary from Ile-Ife. After several calls, we finally boarded. As soon as we boarded, I saw Olamide and I was surprised, my two-time colleague, how did you find yourself here too?

And so, the journey of a ‘thousand miles’ began.

We passed through the Ondo–Ife road to connect to Ore. Ife to Ondo took about two hours, and Ore to that popular food stop in Benin took another three. At that point, I had already finished my rice and chicken, so I bought a meat pie and used the restroom to release some stress.

About 45 minutes later, our driver took a detour to ABC Terminal in Benin, saying he needed to “sign some things.” While we waited, two of his oversabi colleagues cheerfully announced that we had only two hours left to get to Heartland of Eastern Nigeria.

We were foolishly excited. Then the driver returned, rolled his eyes, and basically said they were lying. Our 2-minute hope shattered like glass.

And so the real journey began.

By 6 pm, we were still in Edo State. By 7:30 pm-ish, we finally got to Asaba. Ese Jesu. Little did we know five sparkling hours were still waiting for us.

Our driver then announced we would have a layover at Onitsha because he had never been to our destination before and “he didn’t want to misplace us.” Okay sir, no wahala, make we for no loss na.

Once we entered Anambra, around 9 pm, I had to speak up, I desperately needed to pee. I had already finished almost three bottles of water. Everyone joined me, and we all relieved our bladders together like one united family. Again, thank you, Jesus.

We continued moving. At some point, the driver told us not to use our phones because “some people in that industry” could hijack our bus if they saw any phone light.

Immediately, the devil said, “Let’s spice things up.” Two motorcycles started following us. Mary was scared. Olamide didn’t know what to feel. And me? I started singing hymns in my mind because….

Thankfully, they stopped once we reached military checkpoints.

By 11 pm, we reached Mgbidi or Oru West (I’m still not sure). Google Map almost led us astray, so it took another whole hour to reach Eziama Obaire.

Finally, at 12:30 or 1 am-ish, NYSC camp, sleeping but standing, welcomed us.

Day 1: survived. Day 2: loading…

Yours in training, Seyifunmi.