The Little Trick

There were trips and falls, as well as shouts of anguish, as people's thighs eventually gave up and their bodies sagged to the ground. Should any of us fall and become immobile on the ground, the military personnel were standing behind us with their whips.

After falling down, you are required to get back up to your previous position. Before that point, none of us had any idea why we were being disciplined in the first place. You dare not question a camp commander.

We did nothing but follow his instructions and obey his directives. Again, he yelled, "Oya, frog jump all of you," and the military men were at our backs with whips. We hopped from one frog step to the next throughout the full length of the parade field and then back again.

After multiple rounds of frog jump, not only did my legs start to buckle, but so did the legs of the other members of my unit. The children of the Ajebota tribe, some of them were girls, could be seen wailing.

"Oya, get in the fetal position," he directed. There was a distinct variation in how one lay down. We were instructed to hang our bodies from the ceiling using our hands in the same manner that you would when performing a press-up.

We continued to be in that position for another half an hour, falling down and getting back up again as others around us wailed. Other military guys surrounded us and kept watch to make sure that everyone was complying with the order.

After the morning drill was finished, the matching and the parade were about to begin; however, the commandant was not finished with us yet.

The other members of our battalion witnessed the military personnel roll us over on the ground while we were being held there. The girls were sobbing their hearts out, while the boys were whispering between themselves.

Everyone was suffering from the anguish. "Oya, frog jump!" That was the last straw for me; I just couldn't handle any more of it. I was reminded of the speech that I delivered the day before at RCCF. It went something like this: "A leader must lead, and part of that is a selfless service," even if it means being the scape goat or offering yourself up as a sacrifice.

"Excuse me sir!" I yelled out to him from the middle of the group as I rose up and approached him. There were also other people in my platoon who rose up. It was very clear that nobody was prepared to take it once more.

He stared at me the way Goliath did at David right before he killed him (or was it david that did the crushing).

"Sir, we would appreciate it if you could tell us where we went wrong." I said to him. The responses I got from the members of my platoon suggested that they agreed with my idea and would support it. They responded with a resounding "yesss" in agreement.

"Who are you!" he yelled. He yelled in my direction. The majority of the corpers who were getting ready to start marching took notice of it.

Two military personnel appeared to be standing behind me as though they were waiting for their superior to give them the command so that they could deal with me. "I am the platoon leader, and I would like to know what we did wrong so that we can avoid doing such a thing next time."

It was a reasonable request to make. He then questioned, "Where is your assistant," after which Wangu approached us and joined us. "Why didn't your unit take advantage of the fact that they were on camp duty yesterday and clean up the campsite?"

Mtchewwwwww. . . So that's what this whole thing was about, then! I muttered within.  I attempted to explain to him, "Sir, we appointed individuals for that," but he did not understand.

I informed him that we divided people into groups for the work in the kitchen and the work in the sanitation area. "However, it is not what the commandant of your platoon reported!" I was the target of his yelling. "He added that the reason the task wasn't completed was because the two of you didn't appoint somebody to perform it."

"If we didn't give anyone a specific task, then how did some of us end up working in the kitchen?" It was Wangu who spoke to the commandant in a level-headed manner. "Give me a list of those who were meant to clean up the camp," the commandant said.

Although I was confident that Wangu had written down some KGN of people to whom we had assigned sanitary duties, I chose not to name anyone.

We exchanged glances, and I could see that she was thinking exactly what I was thinking.

I informed him that we do not have a list that has that information. He yelled at me in a furious manner, "Then each and every one of you will suffer the consequences!" 

"The next time you give somebody responsibilities, make sure you have their KG numbers." He said fiercely. Get out of here, you two idiots! Wangu accompanied me as we made our way back to the gathering.

She responded by saying, "I have that list." "We don't need it. Because he has already been strict with each and every one of us for the past two hours, there is no reason to single out certain individuals for more discipline at this time.

Again, he yelled, "Oya, sit on the air," and we all mumbled in response. The military guys following behind bounced on persons who were still standing and ordered them to hold their nyash in the air while they did so.

After a few moments, I spoke  to wangu. “Faint”. 'What?” She tried to inquire why I would tell her to faint.  "If you pass out, we will take you to the nearest medical facility."

My research led me to discover that a corper may be excused from nearly anything provided that his or her grounds are medical in nature.

You can be released from camp if you have medical papers, you can leave camp if you have medical papers, and you can be redeployed to your state if you have medical papers. All you need is a written note from the camp doctor.

Wangu was able to understand the signal. She immediately slumped on the ground and fainted. We were at the head of the line, with our backs to everyone else in the group except for the commandant.

I signaled for one of the other guys in the unit to come assist me. He arrived at her side almost instantaneously, and together we moved her in the direction of the medical facility at the camp.

Two more girls passed out before we were able to go further away from the parade field, and the guys had to carry them. As quickly as you could say "jack," it turned into a wave of fainting. Girls were passing out with smiles on their cheeks while guys rushed them to the hospital as quickly as they could.

When the other corps members were watching the movie that my battalion was acting out, the entire parade field was filled with laughter.

The commandant was completely taken aback. During the laughter session, there were some military officers there.

After that, people began to refer to my platoon as the "Fainter's platoon," and that became our popular slogan while we were in camp.

If the platoon commandant did file a report against Wangu and I, stating that we were the reason the platoon failed to do their task, then this indicates that he was actively seeking to frame me and make my time in camp as unpleasant as possible.

How long will it take until I start receiving subsequent treatment from other members of the military who are stationed here at the camp?

I need to figure out why he was so angry with me, and I'm very convinced that wangu is keeping something away from me... It was inevitable that I would learn the truth from her.

"I had a sex with Sgt. Banjo." Wangu has lastly made up his mind to be more forthcoming with me. I had a sinking feeling that the Sargent was up to something with his icy stare at me.

Following the incident with my fainting in the morning, I was compelled to investigate in order to find solutions to some of the questions that surrounded me.

While we were both waiting for our appointments that morning at the medical center, I inquired about her relationship with the sergeant. At first, she claimed that she did not have a significant relationship with him. However, once I reminded her of the incident that occurred at the joint on Sunday and the complaint that the Sergeant filed against both of us, she decided to own up to what she did and confess the truth to me.

"I dont know what got over me, I wasn't thinking straight. But once we had that conversation on Sunday, I realized the truth of things, and I made the decision to quit right away," she concluded.

"He contacted me to come to the military quarters that morning, but I informed him that I was at the kitchen performing platoon work. I was there because he called. After we had finished our conversation, he called back in the afternoon, shortly after lunch.

I could not figure out what to say next to him. I was frightened, and I couldn't say that I had returned to the kitchen. After that, I informed him that Platoon 2 was responsible for the cleaning of the camp, and that I was engaged.

"When he spotted the two of us at the joint, he grew enraged." That had nothing to do with rage! That was vindictive animosity that was tinged with resentment.

"Have you informed him that you have decided to end the affair?" I asked her. "Not yet. However, I will inform him about it later." That finished it up! Hanging around with her is more dangerous if it turns out that she lied to him and is instead engaging in some kind of childish game of hide and seek with the sergeant.

"I'm terrified of the repercussions that could result from me telling him." She made me aware of it. That is entirely up to her!

She is turning into someone who poses a threat to both me and the rest of the unit. It was my intention to dismiss her. But how could I possibly accomplish that? She served as my assistant, and now we are tasked with collaborating for the sake of the unit as a whole.

I was reminded that Jane and I had reached an agreement to end our relationship due to her marriage. And now wangu, because of a married military man who she claims her association with her was a mistake. She says this association was due to a mistake she made.

Her voice carried me back to the moment when she said, "You spoke to me on Sunday like you care." "Does it truly matter to you? She inquired. I don't have a clue what to do or say right now because I'm overwhelmed with uncertainty.

When I glanced at her, I could see the passionate cry that was contained within her. "As I made clear to you the other day, I care about you. But take a look at the damage that hanging out with you has done to not only me, but the entire platoon as well.

She halted our conversation by assuring me that "it will not happen again." "I assure you that it was nothing more than an oversight." It was pointless to argue with her about anything. She was not going to see things from my point of view. Therefore, I will just get it over with and act responsibly.

After the morning parade was finished, the recruits went back to their respective hostels to get ready for breakfast and the subsequent lectures. Those of us who were still standing in front of the medical center scattered to various locations throughout the building.

It was difficult for me to walk. When I walk, I always have the sensation that someone is trying to squeeze me tightly from behind because my thigh muscles are so strong.

I was successful in making it to the hostel. When I returned to the hall, my other hostel residents were laughing at me and having a good time. They were probably talking about the fainting platoon among themselves.

Because he kept going on and on about it to me, the ugly one gave off the impression that he was rather taken with our little trick. After I was done taking my bath, I went and slept down on my bed. I had to get some rest because I was so exhausted.

The biggle for lectures was accidentally blown, and the military personnel immediately began their customary yells of "double up and move it."

We were escorted out of the hostel against our will. My entire body ached, I needed to get some rest, and I was exhausted and in dire need of sleep.

I answered the phone when Ms. Enoh called my number. "Be careful to check in at my office before the end of the presentation, as I will be present at the venue." She related. I went to the lecture hall with a fair amount of reluctance.

I was able to spot Ms. Enoh sitting at the officials table. Following the introductions, the first speaker was given their turn to speak. He was scheduled to give a presentation on business ownership. He made working for oneself out to be far too simple.

Which country is this man from? I thought to my self because f this man is really  living in this country, then his values were completely absurd.

He discussed acquiring credit facilities, even though we are all aware that doing so can be a wild goose chase in this country. If you are unable to pay an interest rate in the double digits and provide sufficient collateral, no bank will lend you a single cent.

In addition, their credit facility was designed to be advantageous to large borrowers rather than borrowers on a smaller scale. He went on to discuss the steps that the government is making to support small size businesses.

I couldn't help but wonder whether it wasn't the same government that imposes various fees and levies on small businesses like the barber shop, including taxes, environmental fees, property rates, business premises levies, business permits, and so on.

In most cases, you will be required to pay in order to have a sign post erected. You will spend all of your revenue on gasoline to power your generator, and the affordability of the fuel is something that the same government was trying hard to minimize by increasing its price. If your shop requires electricity to function, you will not be able to keep your business open.