Davido speaks at the orientation camp
It was pure drama that took place today as soldiers, police and the
officials of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had a Herculean
time controlling corps members when popular musician, David Adeleke
entered the Orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja on Thursday after the
opening ceremony of the three week orientation programme for 2,152 2018
Batch B Stream II corps members.
Davido, a graduate of music from Babcock University was greeted by a
crowd of cheering corps members who almost mobbed him as he came out of
a white Mercedes Benz with a Police Force plate number PF 413-S.
The NYSC’s Coordinator, Prince Mohammed Momoh’s best effort to
avoid commotion as a result of the star’s presence proved abortive as
corps members surrounded his office screaming with excitement after
soldiers and officials managed to get him in.
Davido dressed in the NYSC ceremonial uniform signed the NYSC oath for corps members admidst camp officials and soldiers.
According to a report by The Nation, the officials had to summon
the corps members to the parade ground with the beagle to draw them away
from the State Coordinator’s office.
Afterwards he was brought out to the corps members who had been
made to sit on the parade ground. He refused to stand on a makeshift
stage brought for him but preferred to stand if front of his peers
instead.
He told them to stay motivated in serving their country.
“Stay motivated; I love you all,” he said before he was whisked away.
In an interview with journalists, Davido said he chose to serve three years after graduation because he was still young.
“I am still young and I want to spend my time as a youth to
serve my country. I am corper like any other and I think I can withstand
the pressure.
Corps members and even others who sell in the Mammy Market ran
around as his car left the camp. In his characteristic way, he threw a
wad of cash in the air which made some stop the pursuit to scramble for
the money. But others still went on until the car left the premises.
Some corps members described the experience as exciting, while some others felt it was unnecessary.
“Today was like the bomb. Lagos is the best camp. The best thing Davido came to camp. It was amazing.
“Being a celebrity doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to school or
serve. It is just to promote our country that no matter what you are go
to school and serve your father’s land,” said Victor Adebiyi a graduate of Business administration from Ekiti State University.
Another corps member, said it was okay that the NYSC was cautious about Davido’s presence in camp because of the distraction
” This is the best they should have done. Even if he is here in
camp it would cause a lot of distraction because many people would want
to mingle with him,” he said.
However, Tolani Tells, a Psychology graduate, felt the corps
members should not have been kept on the parade ground because of the
music star.
“It was embarrassing to me as a person. I see it as demeaning to me.
“You won’t tell me to sit on the floor because someone is
coming. He went to school like I did. I even spent six years for a
four-year course; I spent more years in school than he did. I didn’t see
him when he came to register and life did not end so if I didn’t see
him today, it wouldn’t matter,” she said.