By Kosisochukwu Ugo Ifejuka
We prospective corp members had been standing under the scorching sun for hours, praying for a miracle like heavy rainfall to happen, so we could be dismissed.
It was time for Farmer Umaru Mohammed Bago to take to the podium and address us. According to news flying around, it’d be the first time a governor was attending the NYSC orientation camp in years.
You might be wondering why I addressed him as Farmer, yeah? That was my surprise when I heard it too. They said he doesn’t like being addressed as Governor, rather, Farmer, because that is who he has always been.
I was shocked when corp members started sitting down on the grass. It had turned out that Farmer Governor Umaru Bago had taken pity on us and asked that we sit while he spoke.
“A compassionate man,” I muttered under my breath. Not just compassionate. I was able to see him for the first time and I turned to my fellow PCM and said; this man na fine man oo!
She replied; “Yes, he gives off this sugar zaddy vibe.”
It didn’t take long before the sugar started manifesting.
“Any corp member that studied agriculture, posted to my farm, will get a car and 500000 Naira and also automatic employment.”
“We’ll give automatic employment to all medical personnels posted to Niger state.*
“We’ve mapped out 5 billion Naira for the construction of a new, ultra modern NYSC Orientation Camp.”
“I am personally donating 500 bags of rice and 20 cows from my farm to aid in your feeding throughout your stay in the camp as corp members.”
“Finally, we’ll be giving each corp member posted to our state the sum of 200000 to aid in their settlement.”
While the corp members erupted in joy and applause, I silently did the math: 200000 Naira multiplied by 1500 corp members. It came out to 300 million Naira.
In my head, I said: “Bago go whine us, but we no go panic.”
I thought it was the usual promise and fail by our Nigerian politicians, until the next day, a trailer containing the 20 cows and 500 bags of rice he promised, arrived camp.
Not just that, they started sinking 3 bore holes which they finished before we left camp.
That’s when I said to someone from the state:
E be like this man na talk and do governor ooo!.
The person replied;
“Yes ooo, there’s no promise he makes that he doesn’t deliver. Everybody knows him for that.”
It was when some officials from the government headed by Omoba Zubair Kasim came to camp that same week and started capturing us for the 200k, that I knew he was real.
Note: He could have just transferred this money to the NYSC account and asked them to pay us directly, since they already had our details. But he did in such a way that every money sent out could be accounted for.
As I speak to you, captured corp members have all been paid the 200k. Work has begun on the orientation camp. Medical personnel and agriculturists already have automatic employment, amongst other things.
A COMPASSIONATE FARMER who is also ACCOUNTABLE, might just be who Nigeria needs in this trying time.
Bago For President? Time shall tell.
Kosi Ugo is an Anambra indigene observing his mandatory youth serving scheme in Niger State.
