Name: GODWIN CHIMEX
State of Deployment: Benue State
Re-deployed To: Cross Rivers State
Batch: 2018 Batch ‘A’
Contact No: +2347036475xxx (contact Admin for Chimex full number)
EXPERIENCE ABOUT MY SERVICE YEAR IN CROSS RIVER STATE.
When I started this journey on 19th of April 2018, I was pusillanimous because of where I was posted to serve was like a death trap to me due to the menace that is rocking Benue state as at then. I ominously stayed in Wannune camp anxiously without knowing what will become of us next.
My service year became interesting after my relocation from Benue state to Cross River state. If you get to Cross River, you will understand that most of the local government in Cross River state doesn’t understand nor speak Efik language. The major language spoken in Cross River is Ibibio and Efik language.
Cross River state is a very unique state, created on May 27th 1967 from Old South Eastern region. They have boundaries with Benue in the North, Akwa Ibom in the South, Abia and Ebonyi in the West, and Cameroon in the East. Cross River state is a multilingual state where you find many of Nigeria minority languages in it.
They have about fifty (50) spoken languages shared by the eighteen (18) local government area and villages within it if I am not mistaken; These makes them unique and different from other states.
In Biase alone, they have about eight (8) languages which I am sure of, and I may jokingly say that maybe they were among those people that built the ‘Tower of Babbel’, that’s why God separated their languages into many parts, because in Ubang, Obudu local government, men and women speaks separate languages.
Cross River state is a state that experiences ethnic tension and conflicts between each villages within them, as well as border conflicts between Abia state, Akwa Ibom state and Ebonyi state. Cross River state is regarded as a tourism hub of Nigeria, and you dare not cut trees anyhow in Cross River state because they use it to decorate their environment.
My service year was full of fun, not all that ‘scam’ as some corp members may call it. Even in the presence of misunderstanding among friends and folks, I still have a wonderful story to tell any prospective corps member that approaches me. Life is not meant to be rosy all the times. I faced many challenges while serving in Cross River, but in all I conquered my challenges.
Out of the eighteen (18) local government area in Cross River, I was able to visit Eight (8) local government area while serving in Cross River. They are, Calabar Municipal, Calabar South local government, Odukpani local government, Akamkpa local government, Biase local government, Yakuur local government, Obubra local government, and lastly Akpabuyo local government; It was a wonderful experience.
I am happy to announce to you the passing out of 2018 Batch ‘A’ Corps members today being the 14th day of March 2019, the only Batch independently mobilized without ‘Stream’ and ‘River’. A tribute to those Batch ‘A’ Corps members who lost their life while serving; It all started at Benue on the 19th of April 2018 and ended in Cross River today 14th of March 2019. Thank you Jesus for the gift of life, I am now an ex-corper.
Written by GODWIN CHIMEX, Ex-corper.