Poem: My Best First Year

It’s been an adventurous one year in a strange community with strange people, where patience, perseverance, and character was tested and stretched to its limit, but instead of breaking, I became elastic, adapting to the worst kind of circumstances for the benefit of others. After 12 months in Itaogbolu/Iju, Akure North LGA, Ondo state, serving as a youth corps member, I now have a knowledge-based belief that our country is rapidly advancing from an era of darkness to light.

Nervous as I walked in to the camp-ground…
Curiously searching for familiar faces around…
With my white shirts, shorts, and shoes…
Looking lost and oblivious as I waited for cues…
With a smiley face and knuckles I hailed my guys…
Swiftly walking to the parade ground as I looked in to the soldier’s eyes…
Daily trainings and view of my fellows all dressed in white…
Mamie Market hang outs, fellowship activities, and camp fire night…
Some cried others laughed as we all saw our posting letters…
Deep inside, I knew things would only get better…
Realising that I was responding to the call of the clarions…

I felt the warmth of NCCF family house till I finally got used to the environs…
3 months gone as I was already beginning to gain community entrance…
Being touched by the challenges associated with poverty and ignorance…
Brick by brick we all tried to patch holes…
Build bridges, educate, relate, counsel, and bring down poles…
I met people full of purpose…
They were passionate, skilled, humble, and cultured…
Olumide, Duff, Victor, Bisoye, Janet, Moruf, Josh, Emeka, Endurance, and Harold…
It’s funny as these 12 months seems like 12 days…
Sharing memorable moments, learning, giving, praying, loving, and laughing all the way…
I’ve learnt so much from my fellows…
That you can only lead as well as you have followed…
To those who lost their lives in this course…
Ronke, Oke, Elizabeth, Glory, and other fallen Corper heroes…
I wish a miracle would have seen you through…
But what if the miracle was to spend one moment with you…
Near or Far, we’re all going to converge at the Top…
We’ll reach the peak and we’ll never drop…
As we say our goodbyes hopeful that we’ll meet again somewhere…
I am proud to say that you were my best 1 year.