Corps members hardly get to share the experience they get at their PPA (Place of Primary Assignment). Given the allowance they get, a lot of people seem to think they have it all rosy. This is not always the case. 5 corpers tell us their own side of the story.
Aminat, corper in Kogi state.
My PPA is a school, and the man in charge is a Christian. I am the only Muslim. The first time I went to the school, he said I can’t be draping my scarf around my head. It’s either I tie it up or I come without it or I won’t be accepted at the school. I started tying it up. Every morning, we have to do morning devotion and he mandates that I must be present there. One day I came just came back from class and I was eating, and it was devotion time. The man just appeared from nowhere and started questioning me. “Why aren’t you at devotion? Are you trying to bring your religious difference here? We are open in this place o. It’s not as if they are cursing people there, it’s just for you to go and you say you cannot go.”
I went there, stood at the back and was pressing my phone. He still came to ask me why I was pressing my phone in the presence of God.
Mercy, corper in Abuja.
I wash plates everyday. My PPA is an insurance company and the MD eats in her office because she doesn’t want visitors in her house. When she receives visitors in the office, we serve them like they are at home. After they leave, I have to wash all the plates.
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Osuolale, corper at Ogun state.
My PPA is a federal government commission. I was posted to the Accounts Department. After getting to know the people in my department, I asked to be added to the WhatsApp group so I can receive necessary information and updates. The response I got was that they have talked about it in the department and they feel it’s not necessary to add me, and if there’s anything I need to know, I will be informed. Till date, I haven’t been added yet.
Veronica, corper in Akwa Ibom
I work in a hotel, and I hate that I have to wear white shirt on black trousers with black shoes for 24 hours. Everyday I resume 8am and close 8am the next day. No weekends, and that’s another thing I hate. Each work day, I take orders to the kitchen and serve guests when it is ready. That kind of thing can be tiring. I would rather have weekends, wear a nice office wear and a work shift that does not span the entire 24 hours.
Zulaikah, corper in Niger state
I don’t know if this counts, but let me share my PPA experience. I’m serving at a private school in Niger state. After spending weeks there, I realized the school has been established for over 15 years. In all these years, the school does not have a school anthem. Being the good girl that I am, I decided to compose one for them even though nobody asked me to. I sacrificed my sleep and composed two anthems, and the way they should be sung. You can imagine the level of hard work.
When I got to school, I showed my fellow corps members and the head teacher. They picked the one that includes the motto of the school, the colour of the uniform and all that is related to the school. Since corps members hardly get to relate with the school owner, it was the head teacher who took the poem to the school owner.
Only for the school owner to tell him that the poem is trash. Honestly, I was heartbroken. But I don’t blame her. After all, she didn’t ask for it. One thing I know for sure is that I’m never doing something like that again. Let their school continue without anthem. They will be alright.
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