A few years ago now I saw myself in the paramilitary forces and this really changed my life forever.
I was serving my motherland in Nigeria under the National youth service corps program in Ondo state.
This experience is what brought me closest to the Nigerian armed forces and made me realise the immense sacrifice that they often go through for the unknowing Nigerian citizen.
They gained my respect and my honour for their service when one of them opened to me the full gist of the things they go through for training and even in battle.
No one who is not prepared, ever goes to this sort of calling.
He recanted how many of them went into battle against the current onslaught of the Boko Haram in the North and how many of his friends lost their lives and how it was difficult for him to tell one of them's wife of how his friend who happens to be her husband is no more.
He returned home that day trying to cover the hurt and hence told the wife that her husband was still somewhere in the battle but did not return with them.
He saw how she had so much faith in the fact that her husband was going to come back one day but unknown to her she has lost the man.
It was his duty to protect him but he took the bullet for another friend. The story made myself and other colleagues of mine cry that day. The soldier went on to say that "no matter the degree that we have gotten in our various institutions None of that will be possible if there were to be a war in the country”. And that we all agreed.
He went on to tell us then that if a war struck, those of us in the paramilitary currently in the NYSC would be recruited immediately into the army to join forces to fight the enemy and that that was the main reason why we were receiving those regimented trainings in the camp.
The most feeble of us must have prayed that night for Nigeria, and that there should be peace. This was the closest thoughts of mine to ever join the military, I never even considered being a military doctor, it was a no-go for me. But I appreciate the closeness I got and the lessons I learnt from them.
The experience of a soldier crying at the story of battles. The lack of support by the nation For whom they fought.
All of these we're seriously alarming as he told us.
We are at war however, and everyday soldiers are fighting. But as for me I am satisfied with being in the army of the Lord where we do not war after the flesh nor for the things of this world but the weapon of our warfare is mighty through God and we wrestle with principalities and powers and rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places.
This is my own recruitment and this is my creed.
