DIARY OF A CORPER — EPISODE 1:
FIRST DAY
I rolled over on the bed. It was my first day at work, yet I didn’t feel like going.
Aren’t people supposed to have some sort of adrenaline rush on their first day as members of the working class? Well, with a PPA like mine—where corpers don’t even get paid—what exactly was I meant to be excited about?
I hissed, sat up, and stretched my arms wide before getting off the bed.
About two hours later, I was finally ready to leave. Normally, I should have left earlier, but a senior colleague had advised me that government staff rarely resume early—unless an important visitor is expected. So, if the people actually getting paid show up late, what business do I have being punctual?
Exactly.
I got down from the bike at the gate and walked straight into the building.
Wow.
The young man at the reception was… breathtaking.
I paused for half a second. Did he work here? I quickly waved the thought away. Who cares? After the kind of breakfast that useless Femi at NYSC camp served me, I should honestly be closing my eyes whenever fine men walk by.
“Femi Femo!”
Wait… what?
“How you dey now?”
The sound of clapping hands jolted me back to reality. Another guy was calling this new crush of mine… Femi.
Ah.
Another Yoruba demon?
Oya, I don’t have time.
I hurried past the reception without greeting anyone and rushed up the stairs to my department. In my haste, I almost bumped into someone.
“Good morning ma, I’m so—sorry ma.”
“Corper! Good morning. How are you?”
I looked up. It was the woman I met three weeks ago when I came with my posting letter. I was surprised she recognized me—I wasn’t in my uniform, and I had changed my hairstyle.
Impressive.
“Good morning ma, I’m fine.”
“You are just resuming, abi?”
“Yes ma.”
“You’re welcome. Did you sign in?”
“No ma.”
“Okay, follow me.”
We headed back downstairs, she kept on talking but I wasn’t really listening anymore. My only concern was whether I was about to run into that… distraction again.
Unfortunately for me, he was still there.
Not only was he still there—he was looking directly at me.
My legs suddenly felt like jelly.
Why is this beautiful human staring at me like this?
The other guy had left. It was just him now.
God, please. Let me not embarrass my entire community today.
“Aah, Femi Femo, bawo ni?”
Can everybody just rest with this name already?
“E kaaro ma,” he replied.
“It’s even good you’re here,” the woman said. “Meet our new corper.”
She gestured toward me.
“What’s your name again?”
“Dewa, ma.”
“I thought you told me a Yoruba name that day.”
“Oh—Adeewa, ma. People just call me Dewa.”
“Which people?” she said immediately. “Don’t let them spoil your name. Is that what they call you at home?”
I smiled. There was really no point answering that.
But before I could say anything else, I felt it again.
His eyes.
Still on me.
And this time, he smiled.
Ah.
Problem.
End of Episode 1
To be continued…
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Next:➡️ Episode 2: So This Is The Workforce?
Dewa dewa
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