My story, by a youth corps member who refused to flee Maiduguri

Undoubtedly, the urge to relocate to other places cut across all strata of people, including residents of the town who were born and brought up in Maiduguri and environs. The furore equally scared away many state and federal civil servants even as many members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),  who were deployed to […]

Undoubtedly, the urge to relocate to other places cut across all strata of people, including residents of the town who were born and brought up in Maiduguri and environs.

The furore equally scared away many state and federal civil servants even as many members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),  who were deployed to Maiduguri for their national service, declined the clarion call.

As the uncertainty rages, the national headquarters of the NYSC opened the door of redeployment for all corps who felt threatened. Of course, many of them, especially those from the Southern part of the country, took full advantage of the offer and fled.

But some have exhibited rare bravado by refusing to leave, insisting that going away is akin to contradicting the essence of the NYSC.

Abimbola Akinrinola, a 26-year-old graduate of Agriculture and Environmental Engineering from the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola is one of them.

She was six months old into her service year when the insecurity challenge in Maiduguri escalated. “My parents insisted that I must relocate but I told myself there was no need,” Akinrinola, who is a native of Osun State, said.

She said the worset came from her colleagues in the NYSC. “Some of them said, probably, I was destined to die here. They passed all sorts of comments on me but I was not bothered,” she said.

Asked why she didn’t redeploy to the South, Akinrinola said, “I simply don’t want to go because I believe that God has a reason for approving my posting to Maiduguri. Again, when I came here in October, 2010, I was posted to an orphanage for my primary assignment and I was deeply touched by the predicaments of the children I found there. I told myself that I must make positive impact on their lives before I leave. That was how I convinced my parents to allow me to remain in Maiduguri.”

As she rounds off her national service programme this Tuesday, 4th October, 2011, Bimbo as she is fondly called said she had satisfied her conscience because she had actualized her dream of touching the lives of some vulnerable children through her community development initiative.

“When I saw what Mercy Vincent Foundation, the place of my primary assignment was doing for widows and orphans, I became interested and decided that I should contribute my quota to assist and better the lot of orphans and widows,” she said.

According to her, “Outside the orphanage home, I saw many young children roaming the streets and begging and I said I could be useful to this group of children.”

Sunday Trust’s checks revealed that Akinrinola was able to generate over N650,000 which she used in the construction of toilets and purchased toiletries, bedding and other consumables, which she donated to the Fatima Ali Sheriff Orphanage Home in Maiduguri.

The project was commissioned in August this year. The occasion attracted many NYSC and government officials, orphans and widows among others.

She built two toilets and bathrooms at the Orphanage and also renovated the existing toilets and evacuated the septic tanks.

She donated family-size mattresses to three widows; purchased 14 insecticide-treated nets, two baby trolleys, two kiddies tables and chairs, two baby mattresses, two baby bathing bowls and two blankets.

The corps member equally paid two-year tuition fees for two orphans: Jonas and Kefas Lushiri whose father died after a protracted illness and had no one to sponsor them through elementary school.

Between June and August this year, Akinrinola did community work by during weekends teaching the children at the orphanage the basics of reading and counting. She also took time off to take care of the orphans, going from time to time to bath them and wash their hostels.

“I did what I did because of my inner conviction and love for the children, whom I believe would surely be leaders of this country one day,” Akinrinola told the people that gathered at the orphanage to commission the project.

“In a world full of sufferings, pains, afflictions and frustrations, it is worthwhile for us to reach out to those in desperate need,” she added.

“I feel very happy and fulfilled because my religion makes me believe that widows and orphans should not be left uncatered for and that there is a reward for anyone who makes it a duty to take care of them,” she said.

But before she achieved the feat, Akinrinola had paid a price, including going through many frustrations. She explained, “I sacrificed substantial part of my monthly allowance on the project. And of course, I got support from well, meaning individuals and corporate bodies.

“However, during the process of raising the funds, some people angrily retorted, claiming that they have orphans at home to take care of. Some told me to leave their office if I had no better thing to think of,” she recalled.

According to her, “one highly placed federal government employee in Maiduguri ordered me out of his office, saying he had no money to train future Boko Haram members that will even go after him with their bombs and guns.

“And at a particular ministry in the state where the permanent secretary had approved something for the project, the officials of the ministry were foot-dragging; perhaps they were waiting to be settled.

“I kept going to the ministry, and along the line, I got involved in an accident. The scar is still there on my body. The worst experience was when I had no choice but to collect N40,000 even after I got to know that N50,000 was approved by one of the government establishments in the state. This is a classic example of the rot in the Nigeria system where people take advantage of any situation to exploit fellow citizens.”

Akinrinola said she was not deterred and was glad to have accomplished her dream. “If asked to do it again, I will sacrifice the more, the care for the less privileged actually made my service year and I will ever live with the experience for the rest of my life. I am even presently contemplating establishing an NGO to take care of widows and orphans after completing my service year,” she revealed.

The NYSC Camp Director, Mr Bamushe who commissioned the projects described Akinrinola as an embodiment of good virtues. “She has proved that NYSC will ever remain vital in the lives of Nigerians and we are proud of her,” he said.

Some of the beneficiaries of the projects, who spoke to Sunday Trust, urged the corps to emulate Akinrinola by going extra mile to touch the lives of the less privileged.

“I will never forget Bimbo for giving me scholarship…If not for her, I wouldn’t know how my future will look like because I lost my dad. I pray God will do positive things in her life,” Kefas, one of the orphans, who is enjoying the scholarship said.

Akinrinola concluded, “Some of my friends said I was destined to die here but I didn’t die…I am happy that peace is also gradually returning to Maiduguri,” she said.