Frustrated and utterly embarrassed, Oche, a Batch A stream 2 corper, faced a shocking ordeal till he found hope!

 

Name: Oche Akpa 

Name: Oche Akpa 

Instagram: @oche.akpa

 LinkedIn: Oche Akpa (ocheakpa1996@gmail.com)

Me: Good evening.

I'm Tofio Busayo from the Editorial CDS group.

Can we meet you?

Oche: I am Oche Akpa and I have a degree in Agricultural Economics from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi. I am passionate about data analytics and I am grateful that the NYSC(National Youth Service Corps) program through the Social Economics Unit in IITA(International Institute of Tropical Agriculture), Ibadan provided me the platform and sponsorship to be able to complete the Google Data Analytics Certificate Course, a non-credit course authorized by Google and offered through Coursera. So I am now a certified junior data analyst.

Me: Beautiful I must say.

Me: What is one thing you wish you had known before starting your service year?

Oche: Well, I was always aware of my lack of basic Microsoft Word and Excel knowledge and skills and was in fear of being embarrassed when asked to carry out a task using Excel or Microsoft Word. If had a prior knowledge of Excel and Microsoft Word before starting my service year, my advancement in building my IT skills within my 1 year service would have been more evident and significant than what it is now. The first few months I spent building those Excel and Word skills would have been committed into some other advanced skills like SQL.

Me: Hmmm

Me: What will you miss the most about your service year?

Oche: I have been privileged to participate in different activities such as debate competitions, speech presentations and volunteering events organized by IITA Corpers' Associations that have made me very popular among IITA corpers and have contributed to my personal development. That's something I am really going to miss.

Me: Did you undertake any project during your service year that you are most proud of?

like what's your major success during your service year?

Oche: I undertook community development projects like secondary school outreaches organized by the IITA Corpers Association. We enlightened them on Climate change, global warming and agriculture.

My major success is in data analysis as I got the opportunity to become a certified data analyst. All thanks to IITA and my unit. With dedication and hard work I was able to complete 8 courses under Google Data Analytics Course and I can boast of 8 certificates to show for it.

Me: Wow, well done!

Me: What was your major challenge in service year?

Oche: My major challenge during my service year has been time, I had an enabling work environment and wonderful senior colleagues who were willing to help me develop my skills but I lacked the time to explore more IT skills like the efficient use of Stata and SPSS applications and the time to practice and perfect the skills such as the use of Tableau and R Programming that I have already acquired

Me: If you could change one thing about the NYSC program, what would that be and why?

Oche: I would recommend an increase in Corps members 33K monthly stipend by the FG to 100K. The current pay is really poor and will not allow them to acquire more skills that can help them get better jobs after their service year.

Me: What advice would you give to corpers to make the most out of their service year?

Oche: They need to realize importance of acquiring vocational skills, trade or IT skills. They should discover what skills they are passionate about and work hard to develop those skills.

Me: I'm sorry can I ask some personal questions 🧐??

Me: If yes, pls are you engaged?

Oche: Engaged? I havn't even been able to get into a relationship yet.

Me: Ahan, on top IITA fine ladies.

Me: Why if I may ask?

Oche: I was almost concluding my NYSC program when I started taking note of the fine girls. And at that point it was too late. Atleast that's what I thought.

Me: Torrr, Mr *I'm focus* (laughter)

Me: Were you able to save up to 100k?

if yes how did u do it?

if no, what factors caused it?

Oche: As I speak yes and that's because I was being paid by my PPA(Place of Primary Assignment) which was IITA, I had been into a 20k monthly contribution in my last five months and I was paid two monthly allowances (April, 2023 and March 2024) in my last month of service. Else, I wouldn't have been able to have up to a 100K in my NYSC bank account. Mind you, it's temporary because only transportation from Ibadan to Benue my state will have taken nearly half of my savings.

Me: If you could choose any celebrity or historical figure to have dinner with, who would it be and why?

Oche: I think I would choose the Bible character Daniel. I would like to know what was going through his mind when he was falling into the lion's den.

Me: What are your plans or aspirations for the future now that you've completed your service year?

Oche: After service I am considering going for my Masters Degree in Agricultural Economics at UI (University of Ibadan). Also to go into data analysis

Me: What will you miss the about your service year?

Me: Can you share a memorable experience that has impacted you during your service year

Oche: Talking about memorable experiences that impacted me during the service year, well IITA is a place where one experiences a lot of fun moments but two events stand out that I would describe as memorable and impactful. First, was a debate on The Role of Youth Advocacy in Enhancing Food Security that I participated in during the IITA Corpers' Week on January 29th, 2024. My presentation was effective and exceptional and received praises from the audience and judges. That really made me discover a passion and talent that I hadn't noticed about myself.

In addition, completing the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Course, an online non-credit course authorized by Google and offered through Coursera, was a milestone that I would say has impacted my skills, knowledge and experience the most during my service year.

Me: What was the worst day you had during your service year?

Oche: On Wednesday June 14th, 2023, it was exactly one month since I had been accepted at IITA but still without being assigned a unit. I was already frustrated but to add to my frustration, the man in charge of the acceptance process in the Capacity Development Office (CDO) at IITA, whose name I would prefer not to mention, asked the receptionist to shut me out of IITA and that IITA had no opening for me. It was the highest height of embarrassment. Not until late in the evening of that day did I remember it was my birthday, well it was already ruined. 

However, there is always light at the end of every tunnel, a few days later on Monday June 18, 2023 at about 7:20 AM, I had hardly entered the bathroom to take my bath when my phone began to ring, lo and behold, it was the man in charge of the acceptance process calling, he said, "Mr. Oche, report at IITA at once, the Socio-Economics Unit has requested your service". I was so excited. To cut a long story short, what took more than a month took just a few minutes and I was taken as an only-corper in a unit that I would describe as the best unit for a corper serving at IITA.

That is the story of my worst day during my service year.

Me: Wow, thank you for your time!....Wish you all the best!