An INDELIBLE EXPERIENCE

Another period of election is just around the corner. A huge responsibility has been saddled upon INEC to conduct a free and fair election, but before that can happen, Nigerians would have to go out in their mass to register themselves for the exercise. The Federal govt decided to use the services of corp members to conduct the exercise. Corp members were posted to various locations in Lagos to carry out the exercise. I was posted to Epe; "It was an "Indelible Experience".
Epe is a suburb area, located at the outskirt of Lagos. It was obvious that development was seriously lacking in that part of Lagos as was evident in the kind of buildings, the level literacy, the rate of early marriages, the environment in general.
When I first arrived in Epe, my first impression was " I am gonna boycott this exercise", if only I knew, I should have listened to my Intuition while the local govt chairman was showering us with promises upon promises....I was seriously bamboozed with his sweet talks. We were promised accommodation, daily allowances,lunch or an equivalent of it till the end of the exercise, none of these promises went beyond day (4) of the exercise. The first privilege to get the axe was the accommodation. That chairman ehhhhhhhh.....no be person. After a hard day's work from my polling unit, the only thought in my head was to get back to my hotel room and relax only for the gates to locked in my face. I was furious because no prior notification was given to us, they just threw us out like we were nobody asking us to go to some other lodge surrounded by bush and some terrible, terrible insects. "My Goodness". What a place to live in. I won't even let my worse enemy stay in such a place. As at 10pm of that day,I was wondering the street of Epe not knowing were to pass the night. All efforts made by some of my colleagues and me to plead with the hotel manager to allow us pass one night was to know avail. We were helpless and homeless.
The remaining privileges got the axe simultaneously, for the lunch we begged them to stop giving us, After the first lunch we had, everyone began to purge (even to mess na wahalla, if u try na cheat go come out). Then the annoying 250 naira they gave us as daily allowance also stopped coming, even the way and manner they gave us the money was as if we were begging for it ( kai I don suffer,na me bi dis... 250!!!).
The exercise itself was as uphill task, first was the scanner having issues, then the printer and finally the people; ahhhhhh.....the people. More than half of them did not know their date of birth both the young and the hold, communication was a serious issue and more than 85% of them had whit low or leprosy on their fingers. Their level of hygiene was a disaster. It was in Epe that I realized that housefly could bite, in my polling unit I witnessed a lot of them, "A biting housefly" can you beat that?Not to mention the cult action that was going on amongst the indigenes, were it was also proported that the Power holders of the community were members of various cult groups.
In all these turmoil, there were still those who made Epe a fun place to be amongst them are my corp members (Dave,Kola, Talabi, Ako, Mcqueen, Frank, Igwe etc) and one particular woman whom in her own little effort always tried to bring us some snacks and drinks in my polling unit.
I will never forget my three week experience in Epe, because it really showed me how blessed I am. Also to give thanks to the Almighty Father for the life of my Mother and Father who gave me all the opportunities that life have to offer. It also opened my eyes that their so many places in Lagos that is really underdeveloped and I also pray that they elect a good chairman who will listen and act on their needs
As for me I am waiting to see what will happen in the phase (2) of the election exercise..............K.Z