Yaaaaaaaaaay, I wonnnnnn!!!!!!!

Well, kind of.

Ok, so if you've been following my posts, you know that I begged and pleaded with the most berryful people on earth to nominate and vote for moi to win a Nigerian Blog Award. Well, the winners were announced via a Live Twitter event, starting at 10pm Nigerian time. In a show of being pathetic, I sleep-stalked the whole affair. I was already asleep by midnight and they hadn't gotten near the 'Best Tutorial Blog' category. So I'd sleep, wake up, refresh page... 'Best Health Blog'... Sleep, wake up, refresh page... 'Best Photography Blog'... Sleep, wake up, refresh page... 'Best Relationship Blog'... Sleep, wake up, refresh page... And the 'Best Nigerian Blog will be announced in a few minutes.' Wha, the wha what? *scrolls down and voila!*

There it is!!!!!!!!! Thanks to you, and you, and you and you and youuu (sang to the tune in Sound of Music) this blog won the popular vote for Best Tutorial Blog. *victory dance!!!!!!*

I've got a teeny-tiny question now though... Erm, dear NBA, sooooo since some of the categories (mine included) had different winners for the Judges Choice and Popular Vote, erm who gets the final winning slot? I ask this so I know whether to buy a dress and give a winning speech OR not buy a dress and give a concession speech - either way, I'm giving a speech :D

Anyways, I'm tres excited and now it'll be hard for me to go back to sleep but I had to say Thank Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu all!

*goes to dance JJC - African Skank and Psy - Gangnam Style at the exact same time*

Hugs, handshakes, high fives, pecks, kisses and SMOOCHES!

Look who was featured on Bella Naija!!!!!

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii,

Before I get to it, you know the new drill - PLEASE VOTE FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEE! Click on the Nigerian Blog Awards and select 'Aje-Butter's Guide to NYSC' for the Best Tutorial Blog! Thank you in advance :)

Back to regularly scheduled programming...

I was so pleased yesterday morning when my friend sent a BBM saying she'd seen my article featured on Bella Naija! Of course I had to spread the word on my BB and Facebook (no Twitter cos I feel like I might be doing too darn much - although my sister thinks I should get an account).

Anyways, if you've been reading my blog, there's nothing new in the article. It was really just a summary of the whole year that I wanted to share with others.

Here's a link to the article: An Aje-Butter's Guide to NYSC.

Yay me!

Have a berry lovely day berryboos!

Kiss kiss hug hug, big kiss, little kiss.

Eeeek! Re-votes and 2012 Batch C corpers go to camp!

Hello ladies and gentlemen!

I hope you're all well. So first things first... I might need you to revote for my blog as BEST TUTORIAL BLOG for the Nigerian Blog Awards. Apparently there was a snafu last week and some votes were not counted :(. So pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease re-vote. I feel bad cos I got sick of the US elections campaigning, and just when the end has come (Congratulations President Obama), I'm asking for votes. Please don't get sick of me *hugs and kisses*

Next Eeek reason! The 2012 Batch C corpers Orientation Camp started yesterday and I didn't put up a post to encourage and wish them well :(. Soooooooo sorry. Meanwhile, I had auditions for a play at church The Waterbrook on Saturday night. One of the new members got on stage to audition and mentioned that he was about to start NYSC and was going to camp this week. I called out to him "Hey, you should read my blog." And he goes "What blog is that?" I go "Aje-Butter's Guide to NYSC." And he says "YOU'RE AJE-BUTTER?!" And I squealed with delight "OMG! People read my blog. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay." And then I apologized for interrupting the auditions - oops!

Anyways, I saw him yesterday at our rehearsals. He got posted to Lagos and he'd been to camp to register yesterday. The first thing he said to me was "Berry, you didn't prepare me for how bad it was!" *slaps hand to forehead, hiding face and running away* What I think I mentioned in passing in a previous post was that I went to Orientation Camp on Day 2, at about 4/5pm. At that point, a lot of people had already registered. Well, my new friend got to Iyana-Ipaja at 4:45am as the first person in line. Unbeknownst to him, some people had already gotten there the night before and slept there overnight. Between being sent back and forth to get seats, register, get accommodation and whatnot, he didn't leave the camp until 6:30pm. That's over 12 hours. Whereas, when I registered, I was done in 6 hours. Sawry... future corps members take note! He did say though that about 700 corpers couldn't register yesterday because NYSC officials at the camp RAN OUT  of registration forms. SERIOUSLY? Do I need to write another 'Dear NYSC' letter? (See first one here).

Well, to all the new corps members, I wish you all the very best! If you're going to brave it in camp, do it with an open mind and a pleasant attitude. Being friendly with your platoon leaders and others will only help you if you need something. Don't forget to send your stories! Have fun and Godspeed.

Luv,
Berryliciously on vacay.

Your Local Government Office and Inspector

Hiya!

So I'm writing up this post because while I mentioned my LGI and going to the LG office on several occasions, I don't think I adequately described this aspect of NYSC. So for those new corps members who are going to camp next week, put this down in your mental jotter.

Local Government Office

When a corps member leaves the orientation camp, he/she is given a posting letter to a Place of Primary Assignment (PPA). If the corper's accepted by the organization, then the Local Government where the company is located, absorbs the corper. Basically, this is your first port of call for anything official. Some of the things you do here are:

• Register after you've been accepted by your PPA
• Sign up for Community Development Service (CDS)
• Attend monthly General CDS - I don't believe this is done in every state. However in Lagos, all corps members are given one day in the last week of every month to come to their LG offices. The LGI addresses the corpers on necessary information and signs off on their CD cards to acknowledge that they attended General CD
• Complete Monthly Clearance - Usually completed within the first week of each month, this is where corps members submit a letter from their employer stating that they came to work the previous month and completed their duties. This is required monthly in order to get the monthly NYSC allowance.
• Complete Final Clearance - This is ideally the last time you'll go to the LG office (that is if you don't have any issues). This time your employer writes a letter stating that you have completed your service year with them, and have no outstanding responsibilities.
• Bring complaints and write applications for various things - If you notice an allowance payment's missing, if you want to travel, if you want to go on leave (remember you're allowed 7 days through the year), if you want to do a special CDS project, if you're having issues with your PPA, etc

Local Government Inspector

Your LGI is the beginning and end of your NYSC service year. Keep him/her happy, make your life easy. Get them mad, welcome to 11 months of stress! Your LGI is your mother, father, brother, sister, aunty, uncle, cousin, best friend, and more during this time. Every official letter/application you write goes to your LGI first, before trickling up the ladder to your Zonal Inspector and then State Coordinator.

My LGI was pretty cool. While a lot of people thought he was mean, the truth of the matter was that he was simply stern. If you behaved properly, then he was nice to you. Flout the rules unnecessarily, and he would be a pain in your behind! It's a good thing that I had a good rapport with him, because when I truly needed something (hehe, I broke a rule), he was there to help out.

Ok, I think this is a pretty accurate description and covers what any corps member should know about their LG office and LGI. I dunno why we abbreviate LGI and not LGO :-S

Ah well, have a pretty week everybody and don't forget to VOTE for this blog as TUTORIAL BLOG OF THE YEAR on Nigerian Blog Awards.

Hugs to ya,
Berry.

So I passed out from NYSC: Miss Tomi's Post-NYSC Interview

Hiya BooBerries!

I've got an exit interview from one of my friends who I met on my last day of camp. She turned out to be in the same Local Government as I was, so it was easy to get her to do an interview for me. In fact, she was WAY excited to do it, so here goes... Wait, before we go there, VOTE for me as TUTORIAL BLOG OF THE YEAR on Nigerian Blog Awards!


1. State your aje-butter credentials, according to Berry’s definition.

Hi guys! My name is Tomi, my aje-butter credentials which are not too aje butterish are: born and raised in Nigeria :D, regular summer jaunts, college in America, total time in obodo oyimbo was about 5 years and I hauled my ass back here to serve my wonderful country.

2. How would you summarize your NYSC experience from start to finish?

OMGGGG NYSC was crazy but amazing! There were times when I wanted to cry, times when I did cry and times when I had the best laughs. It was a struggle but I'm proud I did it.

3. What, if anything, did you learn during your NYSC year? Personally and/or career-wise?

Personally, I learnt that I am a really strong person, I don't know how to word that but there were some challenges I faced at work and in my personal life that I didn't think I would overcome. My grandpa died right before NYSC was supposed to start and I was soooo close to pulling out, but I didn't. Career wise, NYSC helped me realize that I do have a lot to offer; granted, school doesn't teach you how to deal with the real world but certain skills that I acquired at college put me ahead.

4. What are your personal views on the relevance of NYSC in Nigeria currently?

NYSC is relevant in the sense that it gives you a form of a gap year to develop yourself personally and professionally. During my NYSC, I took bead making classes which help me draw in some extra income, I became a distributor of Federico Mahora products and I started up my jewelry business. It's great to have that time to start a side hustle, lol. The only reason why I would say NYSC is irrelevant in Nigeria today is because of how poorly organized it is. People say they would rather spend that year trying to hustle but the hustle doesn't always work out and it's nice to have that N19,800 allowance from NYSC as fall back money.

5. Why did you decide to go through NYSC?

I decided to go through NYSC because in the long run, I want to be in Nigeria and I didn't want to have to start dealing with NYSC at a later age. I was very "Don't come back to Naij when you leave" but in junior/third year, I had the opportunity to come back and work and I realized that Nigeria had sooo much to offer so I quickly changed my plans.

6. What was your experience like in camp? Favorite/worst memories?

I was in Lagos camp and it was crazzzzzzzy!!!! LOOOL all the "big boys and girls", I was in camp for 13 days (had to leave for gramps burial) and I got sick once but it was cool beans. My FAAAAVE memory in camp was indomie and Heineken every night... I had a vendor guy there, and the moment he saw me approaching, a nice cold Heineken was gleaming at me!!! Haha, I also enjoyed the "Fayrouz club," which was a tent with a good DJ. I was in a room with some amazing ladies. Honestly, Lagos camp was on a different level with the drunken nights annnd the Mr. Macho competition?? Eye Candy Galore. My WORST memory was frog jumping from one end of the parade ground to the other end but it was fun when I saw some other people rolling on the floor. I really didn't mind waking up early and marching on the parade ground.

7. What would you change in the NYSC program?

The organization sucks major asssss! Instead of having to take a letter to do clearance every month, I would have a portal for supervisors at work to enter some form of attendance for corpers and certify that the corpers have been coming to work.

8. What CD group did you join, and was the experience worthwhile?

I was in the Education CD group and it was ok. I only taught like 4 times because a lot of times, my girls weren't at school due to different reasons so after a while I just let it go.

9. Do you have any advice for incoming aje-butter corpers?

Oh man, incoming aje-butters, dust up your agbero skills because they will come in handy. Try to do things on time and always keep in touch with your LGI or a fellow corper who always has all the latest news. Have a decent attitude about NYSC and try and make the most of it. Definitely try and acquire a skill during your service year and network like a crazy person. Pride won't take you too far as a corper but also don't kiss everyone's ass.

10. What are your plans post-NYSC?

I want to keep working for a year before I go back for grad school; definitely want to take a break for about a month and see my Chicago babies and I'm still making beads and selling them and being a distributor for FM. Watch out for Lúlú accessories in December.

Bonus question: What are you going to do with your NYSC uniform/kit?

LOOOOOL, ok so once I got my certificate and walked outta camp, the moment I got to the car, I took off my jungle boots and left them on the side of the road. My khakis and jacket are stashed at the back of my closet, no plans for those yet.

Thanks for interviewing me!!! Kisses and love
Tomilola Olotu

*PS: So Tomi was a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad girl! No wonder I didn't meet her until camp was over. Me, miss goody-two-shoes and she as Miss Mami Market :p. Just kidding! Wish you all the best sweetie!

How to Vote for me for the Nigerian Blog Awards!

Hiya!

Just a short one here... I'm sooooo thankful for the nomination, and now let's see if I can score a win!

1. Go to http://nigerianblogawards.com/vote.php
2. Enter your name and email address (if you nominated me, they already have your info)
3. Select 'The Aje-butter's Guide to NYSC' in the Best Tutorial Blog category (and feel free to vote in other categories as well)
4. Submit
5. Check your email (Spam folder if it's not in your inbox) and click on the link in the email from Nigerian Blog Awards for your vote to be counted.

THAT'S IT!

Piece o' cake, innit? (I want caaaaaaaaaaake but I'm on a diet right now)

Thank you!!!!!!!! One thousand million hugs from moi!

Berry :)

I got nominated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAY, more victory dancing!!!

Thanks to everyone who sent in a nomination for the Nigerian Blog Awards! I've been stalking their site every day this week to see if I would get a nomination. My first time out, and YES I DID...and it's all THANKS TO YOU, MY BERRYLICIOUS BERRYFUL FRIENDS!!!!!

I love you, you, you, you AND YOU MOST ESPECIALLY!

I'm so excited I might replace booty-dancing with azonto as my new victory dance!

Ok, calming down now. I got nominated under the Best Tutorial Blog category and voting begins next Monday, October 22nd until November 11th.

I'll be putting up reminders to vote, so get readaaaaaaaaaaay.


P.S. - While I may not be closer to knowing what direction my life goes in, after the 31st of this month, I've got 2 ideas for a new blog to start January 1st. Still shopping the idea around with my friends to see which seems more interesting.

Thanks again for the nominations! BIGGEST HUGS N KISSES TO YOU!