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Experiencing Nigeria at a Youth Camp in Jos |
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Saturday, 01 July 2006 |
Experiencing Nigeria at a Youth Camp in Jos
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By Halima Sadiya Mamud, Political Science Dept, University of Abuja.
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As a final year student of Political Science at the University of Abuja, I need no constant reminder of the state of the nation; we read, study, see and experience the worst of conditions in Nigeria on a daily basis. Every one complains about the stagnant nature of our nation’s development, and how our brute politicians go about governance, and yet do nothing about it. I was part of those who did nothing, or didn’t actually feel there was anything I could do, till recently. We all keep doing the things we are accustomed to, because we take comfort in the familiar, even if it is wrong. As I realized during my most recent experience, we need to sieve through the wrongs to find the rights; we should also strive to take on that right, because that’s about the only right we have.
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Camp –in-session
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I learnt of the Committee for the Protection of People’s Dignity (COPPED, Nigeria) youth democracy camp from a very dear friend, Amina Lame, who had the privilege of being part of a similar camp at the Yankari National Game Reserve in December,2004. She narrated her whole experience to me, but then, I could only imagine what kind of fun she had, knowing fully well that she is a lover of nature; I couldn’t tell if her excitement was for the camp or the environment in which it took place. She briefed me that there was going to be another camp in June to hold at Jos, Plateau State. At first, I was least interested for so many reasons, but prior to the day of camp; I made up my mind to be part of it, asked for my parent’s consent, which surprisingly came without delay. And off I went to Jos to a youth camp that would change me forever.
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Youngest camper, 17 –year-old Onyeka displays her musical talents
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We got to the site of the camp, it was a hotel called Jossy Royal Hotel, on the Bukuru expressway at the outskirts of Jos City, I thought to myself that a hotel wasn’t an ideal camp site, but considering the heavy rains in Jos, that was the most convenient option I later learnt. Every one had arrived safely thanks to God-especially in the face of our deadly highways and skies-and we immediately sought to get acquainted with one another. The coordinators introduced themselves, we were told the camp rules and regulations, paired up, had dinner and finally went to rest.
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The camp activities were action packed, first thing every day, we were served “Ice Breakers” these was not some kind of desert on a food menu, it meant that every morning there would be a display for all to see, pictures of each and everyone taken at odd, unprepared and sometimes ‘scandalous’ moments of the day or evening before. The Ice Breaker was to help us accept criticisms of ourselves and yet, be amused by it, not getting offended. I later learnt from these Ice Breakers that we cannot question why there is no perfection when we ourselves are not perfect. We all have to accept our imperfections, that way; we can improve on our faults, and understand that of others.
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The camp kicked off, with the introduction of our partners assigned to us the day before, this brought out the diplomat in every one of us, because you had to paint a good picture of a stranger you met the night before, but believe me it was interesting. Everyone was assigned a Secret Angel, it meant you were to look, care and watch out for someone, till the end of the camp, and that person was never to know. I had a wonderful person looking out for me, and he expressed it in the most gentle of manners, Ahmed Abubakar was his name, he wrote me a poem; very nice one, it made me feel so special. It was a Youth Democracy camp, so there was immediately an election for a camp council of seven (7), who would see to the smooth running of the camp as well as proper organization. Seven members emerged for the camp council positions through elections by Open ballot system. Elnathan John, from Ahmadu Bello University was elected the camp council chair having polled the highest number of votes from campers. I was fortunate to emerge the council’s Public Relation Officer; my job was to gather all formal information and juicy gossips to be announced at the camp meetings. Formal announcements, yes; I made, as for the gossips I was the wrong person for that job, the camp had gotten to me, I was in a mini-nation where serious business was the order of the day and I could not afford to dish out propaganda in the place of genuine information.
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Peter Oparah engages the State Security Agent from SSS office in Jos
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Among the activities we had in camp, there was an open discussion, the topic was HOW FAR IS TOO FAR IN FIGHTING BACK; everyone contributed to this discussion it was very interesting, do we use violence or peaceful negotiations in making change, do we force our leaders to break or listen by being violent or through peaceful agreements. We had members who opined that only violence can solve Nigeria’s problems, and others suggested peaceful negotiations. I believe that what negotiation can’t solve, violence can not solve either, but from the discussions I learnt that both violence and peaceful negotiations are tools for achieving change. But, the response of the oppressed depends on the approach of the oppressor.
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One of the most interesting events at camp was the “Youth Parliament” session coordinated by one of the organizers, Mr. Peter Oparah. We the camp members were divided into two parties; House ‘majority’ and ‘minority’, our task was to elect a majority and minority leader, Speaker of the house, Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip, Minority and Majority whip and Clerk of the House. We proceeded and voted for all the offices. Hassan Hussein, an ABU law student and a very vocal Fulani young man, emerged the speaker of the house. We were also given a list of contemporary issues that affect the Nigerian society from poverty to religious intolerance to Niger Delta crises, 11 in all, we were to deliberate on these issues and come up with relevant solutions that will be passed as bills to our make-believe National Assembly and nation through a national referendum.
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ABU student and ‘chronic’ debater, Rahlia
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Believe me; the procedure was tedious, noisy, unorganized, caviling and it lacked diligence on our part. It was very similar to the attitude of Nigerian politicians, we could hardly agree on decisions; the Speaker was frustrated because of some hot-headed members who kept attacking each other with counter motions. Honestly speaking this was my most interesting segment of the camp. I immediately started to reason, I thought, we were all potential intellectuals, graduates and undergraduates alike and we couldn’t make simple decisions amongst ourselves without a hitch. No wonder; Nigerian politicians, constituted largely of half baked literates, are always at each others throats, at the slightest opportunity, having the urge to break a chair on one another’s head. These days, beware of them; they go for house sittings with butcher knives in their pockets. DON’T DOUBT IT, saw it live on television!
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Some youth campers from the North
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We finally did get to see the end of the Youth Parliament session, but this time through group work; very important, we were grouped into three (3) committees, with assigned problems for possible solutions. We realized that working in groups made us more productive; every one had a chance to express their views. We suddenly became more cooperative. Very soon we had our bills passed on to our make believe President.
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I would not easily leave out the camp debate; it was extremely interesting; it was based on the up-coming 2007 elections, the question was: which would be better; The Secret ballot or Open ballot systems? I happened to be amongst the judges. The debaters did so well arguing out their points. Sincerely I feel so sad, that you all out there did not get to experience what I had been through in Jos. We have BRAINS in this country of ours, and yet they go unnoticed, we do not deserve to be ruled by wimps and cowards. We should not let ourselves waste just for the sake of not getting a chance, we have to create that chance, because the change that starts from our inner selves, is about the only change that will reflect positively in our society.
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There was a variety night/talent show, where every one showcased whatever talent they had, it was great fun, there was drama, singing, jokes, reading out poems, dancing and so much laughter in the air. This was our last night in camp and it was the most fun. The kind of fun I usually have in a stretch of three years, I had in three days, surprising, isn’t it? But you have got to believe it. The Ahmadu Bello University- Creative Writers Club was in charge of the day, they were so creative when it came to writing prose and poems. I was so impressed, they really have talent to share with the world and I pray they make and get the chance to continue to do so.
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We all had an opportunity of meeting a lot of people from diverse cultures, tolerated them and became friends with them, we also met with fellow campers from a different organization Youngsters Foundation, who were also in Jos, we discussed about similar issues and it was a lot of fun I learnt a long time ago that in trying to understand others, I would understand and appreciate myself better, we have used ethnicity, religion and class, for a long time to define each other, but it is wrong and we should stop it. I was in Jos with my Muslim Punjab but the last thing on my mind was the ethnicity or religion of the girls and boys from the South, I was more interested in their character. My bone didn’t cringe when the documentary shown in camp to us wasn’t about an Indian, or black American hero but of our own national, “Chief Priest” Fela Anikulapo –Kuti. The more we try to tolerate other people who are different from ourselves, the more compassion we will practice towards those like ourselves, because I believe, we don’t practice compassion talk less of tolerance these days.
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One amazing thing was that we had this camp without any ‘high tables” or gun totting body guards by high level personalities, it was a camp devoid of the terrible outside world or of young people whose only claim to fame is the sycophancy to which they have sold their souls, for once we didn’t even think of the other ‘leaders’ but we thought of ourselves as leading a completely democratic society, perhaps we even forgot that we were in Nigeria except during a rude intrusion by a lone wanderer who claimed he was from the SSS office in JOS asking to know what our gathering was about, unfortunately he met his match in a group of determined campers who wouldn’t brook nonsense for overreaching and desperate state security agents. To all the people out there who have bonus funds, please I plead with you to sponsor such youth program (Please do not misconstrue this as a call for anyone to send me money or an elaborate scam of any kind!). No amount is too little; you can never tell how many lives it could change from the North, whose negative stereotype is planted in minds across the world by a few greedy and mindless Northern elites and also to the South of Nigeria where its own conscienceless elites have mislabeled principle to mean “conscience –for-sale”. This is the Nigeria I have always dreamt about here in Jos.
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In camp we gave “Power Claps” to whom it was due, to acknowledge and give credibility and compliments. The chairman would say out loud POWER! And we would clap loudly, once but we do not mean mindless, selfish and cruel political POWER, it was our little way of saying we wish the young honest member of our generation more power to become free and responsible. I give due respect and sincere appreciation to the coordinators of the COPPED Youth Democracy camp; please join me in giving those TEN POWER CLAPS.
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Last Updated (
Thursday, 24 April 2008 ) |
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Posted by Robot| 30.06.2006 21:44