FIRST LAGOS TRIP

There is always a first time to everything. The decision of traveling to Lagos came as a joke in the middle of a conversation with three friends. You could imagine how happy I was when I told my parents I wanted to follow a friend to Lagos on a business trip and they said it was a wise decision. After 23 years of travelling around the northern region, I was going to see the southern part of Nigeria. Curiosity became my friend.

            On a cold Friday morning, I picked some wears from the laundry I collected in preparation for the journey of life. Headed to the young shall grow bus stop for my ticket. When I got to the clerk in charge of tickets disbursement, I told him it was my first time and I would prefer a sit near the window, so I would be able to see all the towns without having to stress my neck. He complained I came late and gave me sit 35, which was near the emergency exit and he said it was the best sit in the bus; I smiled and walked away to him saying I should be back by 2pm unfailingly. A farewell was necessary so I went back home to see my mum.

            At exactly 2pm I left home for the park. Going through all the holdups because it was a Friday and the Muslims in Sokoto do pray even In the middle of the road since it was a Muslim’s dominated town. When I finally got to the park I noticed there were two buses, one was new and the other one was kinda old. I was happy that since its Lagos we would be the ones going with the new bus, but suddenly the conductor started shouting Onitsha and some other towns and didn’t mention Lagos. My friend we were going for the journey together arrived and I asked him which bus we were to use and he said the old one. The management of YSG doesn’t put their new busses on the Lagos road because the road is bad and would easily depreciate their new buses. When I heard that, I was already imagining how bad the road would be. We entered the old bus at exactly 2:30pm and we moved by 3pm. The nature of the bus already killed my vibe but I was left with no choice since I wanted to see how Lagos looked and I couldn’t afford a flight for myself and my friend.

            Slow and steady from Sokoto we passed through Jega in Kebbi state and approaching koko, suddenly a dark cloud of smoke was covering all over the car. When I saw the smoke, the next thing that came to my mind was fire; so I immediately jumped through the emergency exit consciously though. Everyone in the bus found their way out, it was barely 5hours of journey and the bus was already acting up. I got discouraged and disappointed but I also thought it was one of those experiences I would share someday when all my travelling’s would be by flight. The mechanic in the bus said the dryer got bad and the balloon wasn’t pumping. I got puzzled and asked what a balloon was doing in a luxurious bus; I was told it helps balance the bus on speed. The mechanic removed the dryer and took it to the next town for repairs. I was left with no option other than killing boredom by socializing with other passengers. My mind was at peace because we were next to a military check point. Suddenly someone shouted scorpion and they killed two of the scorpions. The military personnel’s said the area is dominated by scorpions and they would also be going soon. Everyone in the bus started pleading with them to help wait until the bus is fixed and they demanded for 5k in return. Just when I thought it was their duty to watch the roads till duty exchange, I was disappointed. We spent 7hours on that repair and at exactly 3am we continued our journey.

            When I was a kid of around 7yrs I visited the Kianji, when we were approaching Niger state I could barely remember anything. The only town that looked a little good in the eyes was Makwa. The Yauri road is as bad as the road to hell. I saw so many accidents and goods wasted as a result of the bad nature of that road. Heading to kwara it was also a very bad experience because the road was even worst. I was beginning to think why nothing has been done all these wile. The President should pass through that road and feel the pain of the masses. Putting that road in order would be a very good strategy to gain the votes of people living around that axis. When we got to Ogbomosho I saw LAUCTECH and Samuel Ajayi Crowder University; I was beginning to open my eyes to see more even though they hurt because I wasn’t able to sleep throughout the previous night. I was happy to also have a view of the old Ibadan city with all the old zincs and some mud houses; I could see women processing cassava to gari and for the first time I saw women doing the mason job. There are over a thousand of Nissan Micra in Ibadan because it is used as taxi.

I was beginning to have a feel of the south already seeing all the tall trees and fresh fruits all over. I didn’t see much of Oyo state because we only passed by, and Ogun state too. On entering Lagos along the redeemed redemption camp, our driver wanted to swap lane so he brushed a small Mitsubishi car belonging to some Yoruba boys. They got out of the car and were blabbing as Yoruba’s that they were.  Took out our driver’s keys and demanded for 30k for just a 2k front led that was damaged. They delayed us for about 30mins. A police officer travelling with us settled the case and the boys were giving 5k. The holdup around the redemption camp was much. As bad as I thought people in Lagos are, there are so many of them that are willing to serve God with everything that it might cost them, I was so impressed seeing the multitude of crowd heading in and out of the camp.

            On getting to Iddo Park where the office of the YSG is located, we parked but I was already too tired but was surprised my friend was still energetic after 30hours on the road. My buttocks hurt real bad and all I was saying was “Am never coming to Lagos by road anymore”. My friend is used to the stress since he plows the road like every week. We packed our things and I couldn’t find my Dubai P-cap. I was too tired to complain so we headed for the Island where my friend is based. I would share on other experiences I had wile in Lagos for the 5days I spent. Thanks

ELISHA Z. MALEEKS

NYSC GAME PLAN 3

I got few questions from the previous post and I will try to answer them in this session. Thanks for all the nice comments; it makes me want to write more as it’s a source of motivation to me. I also got people saying I post BC’s a lot without even opening to see what’s inherent in it, in case you are one of them I forgive you. Am set to help as many people as possible, but I just need only one faithful fan who will be following my write-ups and impact himself/herself positively, which I think I have gotten.

       I wrote on internship in my previous post and someone was asking, what if they check the site of the organization and there are no internship opportunities?. Well there mustn’t be internship opportunities always, if u really want to acquire skills on how to use the tools in an organization, I would advise you go for a volunteer work in that organization even if no stipend is attached to it. The truth is when you have acquired knowledge on how to use the tools in that organization and there is a need to employ more workers to that organization, you automatically have an upper hand to be employed. No one wants to employ workers and go through the stress of teaching them their job. The little skill you would acquire through a volunteer work would help you big time to be considered; That’s why you would always see job requirements with working experience attached to it.

          Someone also asked of situations where one is posted to local governments where there are no such opportunities. As a graduate and a serving corp member, the NYSC period is a time to try a lot of things; you mustn’t just be idle and useless to yourself. I would advise you make good observation of the area u were posted and make most of it. If the people of that area are predominantly farmers, venture into farming and have a different experience, even if you won’t carry hoe to plough, rent a land and pay workers to do the job, I promise it would be fun and you won’t regret doing it. Am sure many would be waiting for me to talk about the harvest and proceed from it………

          Everyone wants to work with big NGO’s under health sector because they pay big. A proper game plan is taking many courses as possible under global e-learning. Some of the courses won’t take you more than 2 hours online to finish and you would be issued a certificate. All these certificates help form your other qualifications when writing a C.V and would be considered when you apply for a job in any health related organization. What is important is the knowledge you would acquire when taking all these courses and not just the certificate. The NYSC period is a time you can use your weekends or free days to learn so many things. Make the most of it.

          Savings is another game plan that would go a long way to help you as corper. So many people have opened companies from the meager amount they were collecting and saving as corpers. A lot of people would finish from the scheme and still have to beg people to give them transport money when an interview opportunity comes up, its actually lack of a proper game plan. So many wise people also save and start up small businesses after serving while others also save enough to go for their MSc. some devoted corpers are retained while most people have to wait for months and in most cases years to get a proper pay job. With a good game plan you won’t have to worry over all these because your savings would go a long way in making meaningful investments that you won’t have to depend on the government or anyone to survive.

          The NYSC scheme comes with a lot of opportunities for those who would recognize and grab them. Grappling efforts only leads to regrets. Anything big started small. Make meaningful improvements in your plans, so you won’t have the had I known sentiments. Start a plan today as it’s never too late. Kindly drop your questions as they help me to build further write-ups and don’t forget to also share with someone that you think needs a GAME PLAN. Thanks.

ELISHA Z. MALEEKS

NYSC GAME PLAN 2

The NYSC programme can be as favorable to some and unfavorable to others. Whatever the case may be don’t try to struggle to change your location when posted. Some people believe  they can plan their destiny by working their posting, which is very wrong. I was discussing with a friend and he said “A lot of times good things just comes our way outside the plans we had and we accept them happily, he said that’s destiny” and I believe him. Many a times people change their locations when posted and end up regretting not knowing the place they left was where the good package is. If you have already mad this mistake, read on.

          There is nothing like being goal oriented. Most successful people you see are people who set goals and didn't allow anything or anyone to kill their vibes. Set goals and follow them with everything in you, there is no such feeling like that of self-actualization. Whatever it is you want in life follow it even if it will cost you. Many people want to become CEO’S but never acquire management skills, that is because they had no dedicated goals from beginning and even when an idea comes they would only help ruin it. The NYSC period is a time to make meaningful deposits into your skill bank like I've always said. There so many programmes lined up for corp members, enroll in most of them and if possible all as they help improve your professional skills.

          Internship is another way of not getting to struggle for jobs after serving. If you have plans of working with an NGO or Governmental organizations, apply for internship, go to the site of the organization and check the extreme down of the site, if u find where career is written click on it and register for intern. Most people wonder why they apply for jobs and others that don’t even match up to them are employed, it’s because there CV has been with the organization for long and they were considered. Another very important thing is how you draft your CV, I will try to drop something very soon on CV but mean while you can go to www.brytedude.blogspot.com he has something that will help you. When applying for an NGO internship try to get the UN format for CV. Many graduates find it very hard to draft a nice CV but it’s very easy, it’s just that they lack useful information on the know-how.

          I want to end this second part by saying, never make the mistake of finishing school to the level of serving without being a computer literate. Many people are very intelligent but fail interviews because they lack this skill. It’s far from knowing how to operate basics in a computer but knowing how to use the vital programs on it, if you must work in an office then you must learn how to use the office tools. Enroll in a computer school if possible and forget pride that will lead you to regrets and loss of opportunities. It’s only the wise that makes good use of every opportunity. Drop your questions, comments and don’t forget to share with someone too. Thanks

  

I remain ELISHA Z. MALEEKS .

SUNDAY PEACE

Hi, this blessed me. Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver. As she watched t he silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?' He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it, then I know its fully refined!.......'If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Just know that God is watching over you. And, whatever you are going through will make you a better person in the end. Jesus loves you.