I Protected What I Worked For

I am one to always be prepared for whatever I need to do so as not to make a mess of myself on stage. When I am being told what to do as regards public speaking among students, I work my best to research the topic I want to talk about and find facts to make my points clear and feasible, by the end of the speech, I would feel satisfied performing better.

Whenever this thing happens, I try not to let anyone go through my book where I would have jotted everything down and readily prepared to steal the show, of course, to do my very best. There is this common quote that proves to be true and that is "Proper Preparation Prevent Poor Performance". I call it the 5Ps.

"Hello corpers, there will be a rally on the 26th of June about World Drug Day which aims at sensitising the whole community and making them aware of the danger of drug abuse," said the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) youth corper coordinator.

"Okay ma", we all chorused as we listened with rapt attention and strict instructions were dished out and what they were to expect from all corpers on that day.

For clarity, corpers are the Nigerian Graduates who are serving their country's fatherland which lasts for a year.

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Some corpers started murmuring and grumbling, complaining distinctly and giving excuses why they won't be showing up on that day as most of them said they would have travelled home, others gave excuses that their houses were far and wouldn't risk coming on that day.

"Corpers, you dare not," said another member of the NDLEA team who overheard our discussion from outside as she rushed in angrily. We could see her face and mood change instantly.

She knew some corpers wouldn't show up on that day, so, she made a strict warning with a threat that if any corper who is a member of Ndlea group didn't come that day, she would personally file the complaint to the Nysc directives and they would receive queries and then be punished for disobeying the rules of the program.

Everyone became silent and no one could vent their anger again. I, on the other hand, was already thinking and planning how things would go on that day as we were told that all of us would take turns speaking to the public as we would march around every area delivering our well-planned speech.

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The coordinator continued as she placed her two hands on the table while on her two feets, "So, before the week runs out, I would post different topics, up to 30 to the group, each of you would pick the topic you desire, then signify by typing the topic number you have chosen so I would register you down. Do you understand me?"

"Yes ma", some of us said while others kept mute not willing to say anything because of the threat and warning from the other member.

Days later, I logged into my WhatsApp and saw the list of topics related to drug abuse that had been posted to the group. Immediately, I glanced through them and saw the one I was interested in.

Some corpers already picked their topics and while I scrolled up and down to confirm if anyone had chosen the particular topic in my mind and seeing no one picked it, I quickly did a fast one so it would be me first picking it. Thankfully, immediately I typed "I chose this topic", someone else got sad about it because according to her message, she wanted to go for the same topic but was not too fast. I was lucky! I smiled and started working on my speech from that day.

The day finally came, a day all corpers and members have been waiting for. Before leaving home that day as we were told to be at the office by 7 am so we could start the journey and return home. I did a little practice of my speech by standing in front of the mirror while delivering everything I had prepared in my paper.

I said a little word of prayer to God as I committed everything to Him. I sighed, patted myself with my right hand towards my left shoulder and whispered, "You've got this. Go and do your best" I was just so excited that day as I trekked for 20 minutes to the venue as I couldn't see any bike working that morning. As I was going, I kept revising my topic and did more practice till I got to the office.

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I met a few corpers who were seated inside with some secondary school students who were also invited to be part of the rally programme. I sat beside a colleague of mine whom we both are in the same place of primary assignment, we greeted each other and asked ourselves how well we were prepared for the programme and what to talk about.

"I didn't even practice anything. I cannot kill myself. I will hide myself when it's my turn to talk" she silently said so members of the group wouldn't hear. I laughed faintly as her words were funny.

"What about you? I trust you to have lots to say"" She teased me and tapped my back gently and I just smiled and told her all would be well while folding my paper in my hands.

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Then came other corpers as they entered one after the other inside the office. One of the corpers looked towards my direction and was like "I trust corper Busayo. I didn't practice anything oo. Please let me see what you have jotted down perhaps I could steal your idea"

I faked my smile as I wasn't ready to give her what I'd worked on all through the nights and days just to perform better and someone is here wanting to steal my thunder from me.

"No way", I said in my mind while holding tightly to my paper.

She kept begging me to hand over what I had prepared so she wouldn't feel embarrassed when she was being called upon to talk. But when she saw I wasn't ready to do her bidding, she left me alone and looked for few corpers where she stole a little from their idea.

Unfortunately, we couldn't talk about our topics as there was no time left to do that. I was pained but there was nothing I could do.

After a few weeks, I eventually gave my speech during one of our community development service programmes and I felt at peace after doing justice to what I had taken my whole time to prepare and practice. In the end, my effort wasn't swept away and my idea wasn't taken from me.

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^{All images are mine}