BY TOHEEB BABALOLA
WORKING as a freelance journalist after graduation, I was privileged to tour around Southwest Nigeria, where I received funding to uncover impactful stories in Osun, Oyo, Ogun, and Ondo States over the last year. As a Yoruba tribe member, I faced fewer obstacles while reporting on the ground in this region. However, as I crossed over to the South-South, things seemed strange to me.
It all began when I registered for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a mandatory service year for all Nigerian graduates. I checked my dashboard on January 20, it revealed to me that I had been deployed to Delta State in the South-South geopolitical zone. I was worried because I had not planned to leave the Southwest so soon. “Toheeb, you are a journalist and you are expected to work in any geopolitical zone, and NYSC has done its best to relocate you away from your comfort zone. There’s little or nothing you can do”, I gathered courage through soliloquizing.
With mixed feelings, I and 17 other graduates from various institutions (mostly in the Southwest) chartered a bus from Ibadan to Issele-Uku, NYSC Orientation Camp in Delta State, which took 10 hours on the road. After 21 days of camping and swearing-in as new Corp Members for 2024 Batch ‘’C’’ Stream II, we were deployed to our respective Places of Primary Assignments (PPAs) – organizations where every corps member is expected to serve for the whole service year – across the 25 Local Government Areas of the State on February 11.
As I opened my PPA letter, I was directed to report at the Delta Printing and Publishing Corporation, publishers of The Pointer, a state-owned daily publication with headquarters in Asaba, the state capital. I was glad to see this because I could not imagine myself escaping journalism into the teaching sector—where about 80 per cent of Corp members found themselves. In my full Khaki dress, I hopped on a bike from the Orientation Camp in Issele-Uku and rode to the park, where I boarded a minibus to the Summit Junction in Asaba along the Asaba-Benin expressway, then another to Nnebisi Road.
A rickshaw (Keke) dropped me in front of The Pointer Newspaper building, painted in brown and butter hues. When I saw the structure and was greeted by veteran journalists, I was blown away. While completing the necessary paperwork at the administrative office, I thought to myself, “I cannot wait to get my byline in this publication and own a page.”
Despite being given two weeks to settle in Asaba, I resumed work at The Pointer Newspaper on Monday, February 16, motivated by my enthusiasm for journalism. I was transferred to the Editorial Department and assigned to the Group News Editor, Mr Godwin Nzemeka, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) The Pointer Chapel.
I was helpless as everyone else was busy in the newsroom, but my editor (Godwin) promised to put me in charge of field reporting, which I was looking forward to. For two days, I was marking my presence and trying to establish a relationship with other reporters.
On Wednesday, February 19, I arrived at work from Anwai Road—where I live—dressed in a long-sleeve blue shirt and black trousers. The first person I saw was my supervisor (Godwin), and what I heard was, “Toheeb, I am taking you out with a Vanguard correspondent. Hope your jotter is with…?”
Before he uttered the last word, I brought out my pen and jotter. I have been waiting for this and the joy of exploring communities showed on my face, didn’t know if he noticed it. Within 15 minutes, my boss, the Vanguard correspondent and I boarded a kẹkẹ in front of our office and dropped at the Koka Park. I had no idea where we were going, but we took a Delta State Polytechnic shuttle bus bound for Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Government Area. Sitting at the window side allowed me to see local communities from a distance as we drove past the countryside.
After less than 20 minutes, we were dropped at the bus stop, and the bus turned and zoomed away without carrying any passengers. The three of us walked from street to street until we arrived at the Obuzor of Ibusa Palace, where police trucks were parked at the entrance. A senior officer in a mufti greeted us and inquired about our presence, while those in uniform observed. “We are journalists sent to cover today’s conferment event”, my boss responded to him and gave a formal introduction.
This was when I realized our mission. We entered the palace, where four canopies were staged with various types of chairs and tables decorated beneath them, ready for guests to occupy. My editor explained what I needed to do and asked the Vanguard correspondent to guide me while he left the venue to attend to other editorial duties in the office.
The event started as the Master of Ceremony introduced the guests and the purpose of the day event which was the conferment of a chieftancy title on renowned businessman Chief Roland Nwanze as the new Onihea of Ibusa. The main issue was that the MC spoke in the local language – which I couldn’t justify whether it was Igbo or Urhobo– I was just among the minority praying for English engagement during the event.
HRM, Prof Louis Nwoboshi, the Obuzor of Ibusa dressed in red regalia, while prominent chiefs-in-council, wore white regalia and beautiful beads–dictating Aniomha’s culture, emerged from the inner room dancing to the traditional tunes as they were ushered into the stage.
As the keynote speeches began from the Obuzor to the last speaker, it was done in the local dialect, which I found difficult to jot down. The Vanguard correspondent also told me that he didn’t understand the local language and that he wrote based on his observation. I was annoyed to hear this from him because he was supposed to be guiding me but was instead focusing on myself. “How would I get back to the office without a report?” I asked myself. And I found ways to conduct backstage interviews with prominent English speaking figures for a detailed report.
I took actionable photographs —decoration of title for the recipient; cultural display and performance by the troupe; the cutting and breaking of Kola-nut; and Oath of office. I learned the significance of the title ‘’Onihea’ as the head of a specific community who will be part of the decision-making body for the 10 communities under Ibusa. The event concluded with a brief interview with the new Onihea, Chief Roland Nwanze, who expressed his joy and honour at being chosen as the Umuehea people’s representative in Ibusa Chieftaincy. He was able to speak in English due to his educational exposure and previous journey to the United Kingdom.
On our way back, we (Vanguard correspondent, one female journalist, and myself) boarded a minibus to Asaba and were dropped off at Koka, leaving me alone with my destiny to the office. Despite being a newcomer to Asaba, I was able to find my way back to the office, where I was welcomed by my boss and filed my report before leaving for home.
It was a pleasant short adventure to meet new people, learn new languages, and discover a new community. I believe that with more independent fieldwork, I will be able to overcome all barriers in the South-South. I understand that journalism will always take you far away, and one must be prepared for it.
