By Dr Bassey Emmanuel
The Race and The Rank.
He ran 3.2km in 18 minutes. He defined “soldier” in 18 words. Nigerian Army promoted him on the spot.
Mother I’m doing fine where I am. How are you and father doing and how are my siblings? Pascal asked.
He had finally put his 2 SIM cards back to his phone, having removed them the very moment he left his parents’ house to Zaria so that they would not be able to reach him and dissuade him in any way from achieving his goals.
Pascal had left the house that morning when he was sure his father had gone out very early and his mother and other siblings were still sleeping. He left because he had discussed with Sule who invited him over to discuss face to face on his ambition.
Sule was an old childhood friend of Pascal. They grew up together and attended the same primary and secondary schools in Lagos, where Mr Vincent and Sule’s father were working as bankers in the same branch. Mrs Vincent retired as a primary school teacher in one of the state-owned primary schools in Lagos too.
This explains why Mr Vincent is settled in Lagos after retiring from his banking job.
Pascal, why are you doing this to me your own mother? Do you want to kill me? How can you just disappear from the house like that without any information of your whereabouts? Mrs Vincent queried.
I’m sorry mother for not telling you but I just felt I should go out and sort myself out rather than lazing about every day at home.
So where are you right now? Mrs Vincent asked.
Don’t worry mother I will tell you everything when the time is right. I just called to assure you that I am fine where I am to put your mind and that of others at rest, Pascal said.
Okay thank God you are safe. I am happy to hear from you. Please be careful where you are and may God protect you, Mrs Vincent prayed. Amen! Goodbye mother, Pascal responded and hung up.
Pascal Vincent! the officer in charge called.
Sir, Pascal answered.
Come and fall in over here, the officer added.
Yes Sir, Pascal responded.
Names of other potential recruits were called out and made to be ready to run the 3.2km race, having passed through other aspects of the screening exercise like documentation, certificate screening and medical test.
Pascal recalled how the officer that screened his certificate was impressed with his grades in SSCE and had promised to make him his special candidate throughout the screening exercise, provided he was successful in his medical test. That was the reason Pascal was very happy when the medical test result was called, and he was successful. Pascal was sure that he was inches away from being the soldier he had craved.
As you have been briefed already by the “Oga”, the recruitment officer, you are expected to run the 3.2km race and come back within 18 minutes, the Physical Training officer announced. There will be 3 boxes, your time of arrival determines which of the boxes you will be received in, that means the last person should be here by exactly 18 minutes from the time of departure otherwise, the person has failed and would be sent home, is that clear?
Everybody chorused yes sir!
Good, the PT officer said. You are to take off at the blast of my whistle. Just a moment later, the blast of the whistle was heard, and the race began.
Congratulations Pascal, I never knew you are not only brilliant but also a horse, Pascal’s “godfather” said.
Thank you sir.
No I am really impressed by your performance to come out first in the race in your local government. It makes me proud of you the more, the godfather added.
Pascal passed every other aspect of the screening exercise with flying colours.
The appointment letters given to you is an indication that you have been successfully selected for training into the Nigerian Army in Depot NA Zaria, the Recruitment Officer said. Ordinarily, the practice has been that you would go home and prepare to move to Zaria within 2 weeks, but experience has shown that potential recruits use the 2 weeks grace to commit havoc within their community assuming to be soldiers already while others get indulged in activities that can compromise their medical status, he continued. In that wise, the higher headquarters has decided to move you all to the training ground in Zaria immediately, the Recruitment officer added.
Pascal was very happy with the announcement of moving for training immediately because he was wondering where he would put up safely for 2 weeks without his parents getting a clue of his intentions.
Congratulations to those of you who were able to make it through the rigorous training. As you can see not all of you that started the training are passing out today. Some have died and were buried here, others could not bear it and they ran away, but you are the lucky ones that are passing out today. I must give kudos to those of you who were exceptional during the training especially Private Pascal Vincent, the Depot Commandant said. For being the best all-round recruit during the training, the Commandant continued, I am delighted to announce that the Chief of Army Staff has graciously approved you to pass out with the rank of a Lance Corporal.
Everybody cheered and congratulated Pascal specially.
Pascal was very happy with all the encomiums bestowed on him by his seniors and colleagues alike.
After the passing out parade, Pascal sat down quietly in deep thought, reminiscing on the period of training. He remembered in one of the lectures when the instructor asked a question no one was able to answer satisfactorily. Then the instructor pointed at him to answer the question: “Who is a soldier?” Pascal cleared his throat and said, Sir, a soldier is a person either enlisted or commissioned into the military whose sole responsibility is to fight either on the ground, sea or air in order to keep peace.
The instructor was amazed by the wonderful definition Pascal gave because it was beyond his own expectation as an instructor. He ordered other recruits to give Pascal a clap and they did.
Some of his colleagues started becoming jealous of him for his outstanding brilliance.
Pascal also remembered when he was made to pin his head and be soaked in gutter water just because he was late to morning PT as he was not feeling too well that day, but nobody wanted to listen to him.
Suddenly, he heard a bang on his door…
To be continued…
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