Ethnicity and the Nigeria situation.From an NYSC perspective.

LOCAL NEWSWATCH JULY ENDING EDITION:

So it’s a Monday evening and I am yet to sleep but I consider it a worthwhile endeavor to meditate on realities of the Nigerian situation. This year has seen local newswatchngeria talk about Nigeria and its democratic status from direct reporting of news events in the past few years to actual analysis and editorials reports on events, we have moved and evolved to making statements and constructive pronunciations on issues in the Nigerian society.

Today we want to look at the subject of ethnicity. Recently in July, I had the privilege of engaging in the compulsory National Youth Service program which involved a three week orientation camp in one of the thirty six orientation camps across the thirty six states of Nigeria. I and other youths had the privilege of being hosted in Taraba state, located in North Eastern Nigeria. 

A lot of people assume that Taraba sate is also one of the states on lockdown by the Presidency over the boko haram insurgency but it is not. Taraba state though bordering a boko haram state is actually very peaceful and quiet. It is not known for violence despite the fact that it has been called a microcosm of Nigeria. This is so because Taraba state houses over 100 different tribes and ethnic groups all locatedin the same state. It is a culturally diverse environment. During the course of our three week orientation camp, we had a taste of the cultural life of the people through music and dance. 

Taraba is known for its rich and diverse climate, areas such as Gembu have a temperate climate comparable to any temperate region in the world due to its location on the plateau - the Mambilla Plateau that allow a cool temperature all year round. Major and prominent Nigerians are said to have residences in the local area call Gembu and are known to travel there to spend time and relax. It is an ideal location for tourism and the relaxation.  

The Taraba sate whose capital is Jalingo is called God’s gift tothe nation, has a lot of natural mineral resources and is rich in both culture and tourism as already mentioned.  However what really drags ones attention to the state is its welcoming and accommodating cultural diversity. With the over 100 tribes living together, shows that Nigerians can coexist peacefully and grow together in prosperity.

And the natural resources show the economic potentials of the state.  I wish I had taken digital camera pictures to share on the Local news watch Nigeria blog unfortunately all the pictures were hard copied and printed and if you like, I could post it to you if you are interested just so you see what we are talking about.

Besides the environment and the people, the whole experience particularly of meeting new people and forging new relationships was exhilarating and uplifting. The camping experience will be incomplete if I fail to bring attention to the morning drills and exercise supervised by genuine hardcore military personnel, yes! , soldier men and of course women were the ones who woke us up each morning and made us attend the compulsory parade where we matched and reheard and also engaged in ManOwar activities, of course this assisted in our physical and mental development which is the goal of the exercise. 

So the theme of this write-up can be said to be my camping experience and my opinion of North East Nigeria as a Corper. I want to especially thank and appreciate my friends at the camp, who are too numerous for me to begin to mention, but I’ll remember my platoon members like Isaac, Chichi, Ify, my beautiful drama wife Bukky, and outside my platoon, my very funny roommates who I don’t believe that I am even going to mention Phillip, who entertained us each and every night around 1 am to the annoyance of some of my roommates, I remember the Abednego brothers, I remember Friday Gabriel, Danfulani, Kamaludeen, and then my friends from other platoons, I remember Grace, Hassana, Hanako, my special corper friend who I was beginning to “like like”: Favor, my platoon commander and officer and my platoon leader and not forgetting “I go Fat” our platoon “Minister of Finance”.

So many names to mention but that’s just a few I put down, the entire experience was really refreshing as it was a huge departure from my normal uneventful and work dominating life. I also remember when we acted a drama and when my platoon won the football match, how we danced at the OBS(Orientation Broadcasting Service) ground.  So many memories. Let me round off before I turn this article to memoir of my NYSC camp. 

To everyone I say a big thank you, I specially appreciate you all, and I hope we are going out to make a difference and let the world know that a new breed of Nigeria are out to change Nigeria, Africa and the world at large as I wish you success in your service to our fatherland in all the various states of the federation.

Thank You.

Damian Maro 

Editor,

Marod5000@yahoo.com
P.O.Box, 6470, Garki Abuja, Nigeria.