The time says 5:30
am. Ola woke up at his newly appointed time to keep to the rules of preparing
for his future for his early hours of
waking up at the N.D.A dormitory. Even
if he wasn’t guaranteed an admission yet. He still believe he will be admitted
into the N.D.A.
He stood up from his
improvised mattress and gave a loud yawn. Wiping of his face that have been
battered by the rays coming from the computer monitor of a cyber café he
visited yesterday to continue his online registration.
Talking more of the
registration. Ola was so grateful to God that he provided the money, 1 months
ago while the form was just out he have wept bitterly because his Parents told
him they can't afford the 3500 Naira for the form not to talk of the money to
purchase a Jamb form because they have spent
and still spending their money on his elder siblings at the university.
Ola wept bitterly
and Pray to God with even serious Fasting but no miracle happened. Well ! God
prove he wasn't deaf or dumb and he answered his prayers when Ola had almost
given up, Saying in his mind that he would wait for the following year form.
However God bless
his dad with some cash he gained from a longtime forgotten shares and thus his
Dad was able to generate the Money when the Form was just 3 months old.
Ola was glad and the
day he received the money for the form was the day he dashed out for
registration not knowing that his problems are just starting. The first
obstacle was at the cyber café where he spent more than expected to access the
internet. The N.D.A website was seriously slow like a snail due to too much
traffic from other users like him too. He purchased 3 hours ticket just to
generate a RRR code for his registration. He dashed to the bank to Pay for his
code but he discovered the Bank Remita payment system was faulty. He went to 5
different banks to join a heavy queue
with deposit slip in hands which were he never used due to different
outcomes. It is either a bank system says Remita isn't paying or another bank
charging for additional charges for transfer or the queue was heavy. All these
didn’t hinder him from his goals and he finally achieved it when all the total
bank he visited was 5 in number, in addition he have spent more than expected
in transport fare to visit those banks.
The next day he
visited the cyber café with his RRR code to properly sign up for the form.
Luckily for him the traffic on the website reduced and he was able to register
only his name and some other details with the exception of documents upload. He
knew he the online form requires jamb registration number so decided to choose some few weeks to work
menial jobs like sweeping for neighbors,
clearing the lawn and running errands. He was able to generate half of the
money for his jamb and then received half of it from his dad.
He spent the
following week acquiring documents and
Educational background certificates from the institution he attended all
these cost money and he have to go through hustling mode again to generate
money , he thought his problems were over but he discovered there are many more
stones to eat when the N.D.A website was
indicating error in each documents he tried to
upload . Each time he upload a documents it shows Submitting form and then error. He was even happy the day one documents got
uploaded and it indicated done but after he
clicked on the uploaded files the site indicated nothing was uploaded.
He spent several
weeks at the cyber cafe to upload his
documents 4 days error message until his birth certificate was uploaded, 5 days
error message until his J.S.C.E was
uploaded and the took him weeks before his S.S.C.E testimonial and other documents were uploaded. Man!!!! You've
got to be kidding . All his savings were gone, but at least he achieved his
aimed and his registration got completed . He printed out his acknowledgement
form, Parent attestation letter, State of origin attestation letter.
He joined facebook
groups that are related to N.D.A and he received tips and made friend with a
fellow aspirant whose father was a Rtd Navy commodore , Wow!!! That’s a great
chance because the person mentioned was from his state of origin and that’s
opened the way for him to get somebody to sign his attestation letter. He met
the facebook friend live and they hook up to meet his dad for signing of the
attestation letter. After all these he went to the court law to complete his parent attestation.
Heavy
Night reading followed up in preparation for his Jamb exam in which he was
successful after he bagged 277 in his total score. He got selected for his
the N.D.A entrance exam and did all his
best to top the board. All these are his past now and he looked towards the
future when his named will be shortlisted an the armed forces selective board
list.
Waking up now, He
prayed a long prayer ever than before because of this day is the day the armed
forces selective board will release the shortlisted names in the local
newspaper. Brushed his teeth, did press ups, squats and jump jacks , practiced some martial arts
and then took his baths. Have the house
to him alone since his parent have travelled to the village to attend a wedding
ceremony. He was glad he was the last born so he took breakfast and devoured
the content of the cooking pot! A mountain of Eba he reduced to mere roads and
push it down with an ocean of his tribal soup.
Tension Time ! He strolled to the the local newspaper vendors . As he
walked different thoughts attacked his faith. Different past conversation
overshadowed his mind as he thought of the discouragement he received from
senior friends that have applied for the N.D.A course but were not chosen . They told
him that without a godfather pulling strings for him he can't
secure an admission there.
One
conversation floated swiftly to his mind. The one he had with his school mates
that took the previous year form.
Chike: Ola are you serious! Why will you choose
to become a military man, you are even choosing the N.D.A for that Matter!!!
Ola: I
don’t see anything bad there.
Chike: If you Join the Army . That will be a
waste of potential.
Ola:
excuse me what do you mean.
Chike:
C'mon Olaboy we all know you. You the smartest kid ever you a genius You
top exams all times and you are fit to be a professor .
Ola: How about
being a military professor.
Chike: No man! Did you know your life is
involved. Ola!!! You are worth attending a normal university and landing in a white collar job. Instead
of N.D.A!
Ola:
Don't try to discourage me, You also applied for N.D.A course but you were not admitted !
Don’t you think of death when you are applying.
Chike: I am not discouraging you my friend. I
am telling you the Facts . No godfather no admission
Ola: Did
you pray about it before applying
Chike: Prayer!!! Can Prayer cure the corruption
in this our Country Nigeria . Corruption have eaten deep into the N.D.A if you don’t know.
Ola: It's a lie our military don’t do rubbish
like the police force. Did I hear you say corruption sir!
Chike:
Oh I can see! You are not yet matured. See let me tell you. My name got
shortlisted for A.F.S.B interview and I
saw it vividly on the internet
but the next day when I went to
check my name it's no longer there, I discovered that my app. Number have been
changed and my name replace with
another applicants. I was
shocked that my name have been sold to another person that have a strong god
father. I wrote many letter of complaint to the
school board but they
didn’t reply me. I tried all things to know why my name got erased but got no
explanation.
Ola: Oh! I am sorry about that, You don’t have
to give up.
Chike: After all the money and efforts I have
put in it I should now apply for another form again! God forbid bad thing!
Ola: It
doesn’t mean .
Chike:
it doesn't mean!!! See your mouth. Shey bi you too have apply we shall
see na . You can't get admitted
Ola: Get out of here Idiot! Why will you wish
me bad thing. Enemy of progress you are jealous I applied unh.
Chike: (stood up and left angrily and
said……………) Mark my words
The conversation drifted past his mind as he saw chike along the
roadside. Ola increased his pace so as to avoid being asked of how he is faring
in his admission process. Minutes later Ola was close to the newspaper vendor ,
he muttered a short prayer before giving the vendor money and took the Vanguard
newspaper from the book shelf. His eyes surveyed the front page until he come
across a content which says : See Page
37 for the full list of candidates shortlisted for the Armed forces selection
board interview. Ola Opened to the Page 37 and his eye scrolled down until he
met his name there.
Ola gave a howl of victory and his shouts caught every one
attention especially the vendor. Before the Vendor could ask what happen Ola was already gone . He ran home with Joy
unspeakable when he got home He took his phone to Call his parent to inform
them about the good news.
This Literary work
is strictly prohibited to be copied from this site and reproduce into another
means without the Admin permission. Though it can be shared through the Share
buttons. ©
2018copyrights.
To be continued . watch out for part 2 tomorrow . Have a nice day
nice write up . but this one na dream na.
ReplyDelete