After I graduated from the university, I decided not to waste my time so serving my motherland was my top priority. I did every registration process which resulted in going to the camp for three weeks. On getting there, I met a lot of people and I was shocked. I heard so many things from my older siblings about camp since they already have the experience but I never knew we would be up to two thousand people.
I dropped my box by the gate like others and joined the long queue. I brought out a biscuit from my bag and was chewing it alongside the Pepsi I bought outside the camp gate. I could not really see what was happening at the front because there were two huge guys who were obstructing my view. I guess one of them sensed that there is a short little girl at their back, and he asked me to move to the front. I was glad that I could be ahead of them and I said thank you even though we never asked of each other’s name.
When I moved to the front, I met a girl. We are almost the same height and we were both complaining about the whole thing and how stressed we were. Immediately, I liked her vibe and we were slowly progressing on the queue. We kept on chatting about how frustrating and how long the queue is. Fortunately, we got to the front where our heart rate will be put to check.
Hers was good so she gained access to the main camp but instead of leaving me, she waited for me to gain entrance too and when it was my turn, my heart rate was not fit to be a part of the camp which means that I will be sent back to the house. I started crying and my new friend hugged me and said;
Don’t worry. You will gain access to the main camp but find somewhere to sit so that your mind will be calm and when you check your heart rate again, you will be good.
I heeded to her advice and she sat with me right there for over thirty minutes. After then, I ran the test again and I was able to gain access to the main camp.
We were supposed to be given a uniform but before we get that, we needed to complete some registrations inside the main camp which will make us permanent residents in the camp for that period of time.
The queue as long as the one at the gate and we had no choice than to wait. We waited there for over four hours before it could get to our tour.
We entered the registration hall together and a different person attended to me. Unfortunately, my name had a spelling error which I had seen earlier but was thinking that it would be overlooked. The woman sent me away and said;
Get out of my sight!. You’re so unserious because you had weeks to rectify this error but you chose not to.
I was very scared and began to think that I was finished because the registration will end in two days and I’m not that connected to anyone who can help me rectify the error within two days.
I went to meet another official and he sent me away too. I’d never forget what he said.
Get out of here, girl. Don’t disturb me. I can’t help an unserious person like you.
I knelt down and started to beg him but he didn’t accept.
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Tears rolled down my eyes because I already waited for over four hours to get to that stage all for me to be sent away. I told my new friend and she decided to help. Her boyfriend works in the ministry of education and it was possible for him to help me rectify the spelling error and print another original result. Lo and behold, the man promised to do it the next day and I was hoping for a better result.
Would you believe that my friend halted her registration process because of me so we could continue the registration together? I was shocked.
We all were given temporary rooms to sleep in that night so that when we finish the registration, we will be given permanent rooms. We went to the room to sleep but we made sure we woke up by 3:00 am so we could take our bath and leave for the registration hall. I thought we will be the first to reach there but to my surprise, we met over a hundred people. It was crazy but we were not attended to because the officials were not around but we just wanted to be on the queue so that no one will take our space.
The officials came as early as 8:00 am and when it got to my friend’s turn, she didn’t go into the hall but made sure she waited for her boyfriend to bring my new certificate so we could register together.
The young man brought the certificate around 2:00 pm and I had to call my dad to speak with the him and thank him for helping me. The registration process went on but my friend was still leading because she had done some things earlier.
Luckily, I completed the registration and we both headed to the hostel so we could be given permanent rooms. We never can tell if we will be put to the same room but my friend pleaded with the woman in the office that we should be given the same room. Fortunately, she gave us the same room and even made sure our beds were beside each other.
It was crazy how we never had a proper introduction until we got to our permanent hostels and exchanged pleasantries.
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I’m Oreoluwa; she said to me and I responded by saying; I’m Bisola and it’s nice to meet you. Also, thank you for all you’ve been doing since yesterday. I sincerely appreciate you and I love you so much.
She smiled and hugged me. That was how I made a long lasting friendship which still made us very close today.
We bought the same things at the camp and moved together like twins. We shared our foodstuffs and everything other thing we had and till today, if I ever have something to do, I always call on her just like she does too.
From the moment we stepped into that camp till now that we are still friends, I can say that she has stuck with me through thick and thin.
Thanks for reading!
