Tabitha Abubakar was excited to have completed her NYSC programme that sunny Thursday. Recalling her first trip to Jalingo for the orientation course at the NYSC camp in Sibre filled her with even more pride.
“I’m happy to receive my NYSC certificate, but I will not forget the unexpected kindness I received last year while coming to Jalingo,” said the political science graduate, recounting her experience.
One dawn in 2023, Tabitha arrived at a local motor park in Maiduguri, bound for Jalingo. In a bus filled with eight other passengers, she propped next to a weather-beaten man who was returning home after weeks of work in Maiduguri. Conversation about the worsening insecurity in the northern region soon filled up the bus. Before long, though, the bus ground to a reluctant halt, miles away from Gombe. The driver quickly departed by motorcycle in search of a mechanic, leaving most of the passengers angry and frustrated.
The time edged past 11 p.m; Tabitha was growing agitated. Travelling at night entailed a great deal of risk. Eventually the bus was repaired, and the journey continued in utter silence. It was past midnight before Tabitha arrived at the park, from where she hoped to proceed to the NYSC camp, situated on the outskirts of Jalingo. It was unsafe to drive to the camp at midnight, the driver said.
With the option of sleeping in the park and heading to the camp by morning, Tabitha was near stranded. Sensing her worry, the man who sat next to her on the bus offered for her to stay at his sisters’ place, who were students living off the campus of Taraba State University. She declined, but the man explained that sleeping in the park was unsafe for a woman “There are a lot of mosquitos here, and it’s difficult to sleep well here,” he said.
The man had a point; the park was no safe haven for a woman, she thought. After the man handed her one of his sister’s mobile numbers, she got on a tricycle to the girls’ place. “They welcomed me warmly when I arrived and even asked me to shower before giving me a delicious meal,” Tabitha narrated to Prime Progress.
The next morning, Tabitha caught a ride to the NYSC camp. Settling in, she called the man to thank him for his kindness.
After a memorable service year in Jalingo, she was now headed home, her bags packed. Yet the memory of her erstwhile trip to the town remained etched in her mind, together with its profound lessons about human goodness and the importance of offering a hand. “This experience will continue to shape my perspective on strangers. It will also be my reason to trust and appreciate those who lend a helping hand,” she stated.
Tabitha Abubakar, a political science graduate, recently completed her NYSC programme, recalling the memorable journey to Jalingo for the orientation course. Her trip in 2023 was marred by a breakdown in a remote area, leading to a delayed arrival and a potentially unsafe situation at a local park.
A fellow passenger offered her a place to stay with his sisters, students at Taraba State University. Despite initial hesitation, Tabitha accepted and found warmth and hospitality there. Reflecting on the experience, Tabitha expressed gratitude for the kindness she received.
Her service year in Jalingo, now concluded, left her with profound lessons on human kindness and the importance of helping others, shaping her view on trust and hospitality.
