Letters from Yola V

Something about Providence

Dear Fellow,

I had never imagined I would travel to Adamawa State in my lifetime. I have been—and still am—surrounded by people enthusiastic and ambitious about travel. For some, to live in all 36 states of Nigeria is one of their major life goals. For others, it is to visit all the countries of the world. I dislike having to sit for too long on a trip—seated for more than five hours in transit is too much sitting time for me. However, I like meeting new people, which makes me want to travel.

Until I was called to report to Damare Camp, the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Adamawa State, on Wednesday, 27th November 2024, I had never considered visiting this state. So, there had to be a reason for me to consider it. In this case, I needed more than just the drive to meet new people; I had to be in Yola, Adamawa State, for the next phase of my academic journey as a Nigerian under 30, just graduated from undergraduate studies.

I had a job just after graduation. But before long, I switched back to freelancing. Unlike the plan I had in mind when I left the job, I would stay six months without a salary, and freelance gigs would come in trickles. This means that I barely had any money saved up to cater to my expenses moving to Yola for the NYSC orientation course.

I had written a budget for the trip. It rounded up to a hundred thousand naira. All I had to bank on was the money I had saved up in a cooperative. However, I received a monetary gift three days before I left Jos for Yola. This gift was about twice the transportation fare for the trip. That was about a twenty-five per cent cut on the budget.

My mother’s colleague was also of great help to me. Her family were to travel to Yola a day before I had planned to leave Jos. She heard from my mother about my trip to Yola. With that, she made a way for me to join her family on the trip. Did I leave a day before the day I had planned to travel, or did I adjust my plan? Well, we hit the road on Wednesday, 27th November 2024. This means I didn’t spend a dime on transport fare.

Despite these provisions, I still had to get a loan from the cooperative I am part of. This is even after forty per cent of the budget was met by the gift and favour I had received. But that transaction happened in the orientation camp.

In camp, you needed money—prints and photocopies, fixing your uniform, and other unforeseen expenses, such as dues for the various groups you get to be part of in camp. So, the loan I took from the cooperative catered to the remaining sixty per cent of my initial budget and the unforeseen expenses in camp. Even so, I received other monetary gifts from friends and relatives.

I keep asking why this has to be the content of today’s despatch. Besides showing the expense of moving from Jos to Yola—fifteen thousand naira being the average transportation fare—I guess this is also a means for me to remember and document how Providence worked in my move to Yola. Perhaps a means to call to remembrance the truth I hold dear to my heart, and that I am still learning to be true time and again. The truth: “Besides and beyond income, God provides!” Unpacking this truth deeper is one of my preoccupations during this NYSC year.

Till I write to you again, may you never lose your wonder!

Your LetterMan,

Tongjal, W. N.