Briefly tell us a bit about yourself
I am Obinna Andrew Gabriel. I’m a staunch believer in Jesus Christ; I come from a sound Christian background in Isiagu Ibagwa, a community in Igbo-Eze South local council of Enugu State.

We learnt that you have executed some projects in your place of primary assignment as a corps member. Tell about the projects and what inspired you?
Before I got to Aiyegbami community where I was posted to, I already had in mind to make a contribution to the development of the area. So, when I got to the community, I met a plethora of challenges on ground. And according to NYSC protocols for Community Development Services (CDS), they must first carry out Needs Assessment, which offered me the opportunity to interact with members of the community. Through speaking with them – shop owners and even members of staff in my Place of Primary Assignment (PPA), especially the principal of my school – I discovered that a bad road was the biggest challenge the community was having at the time. That was what informed my taking up the project.

How were you able to map out the details of the project?
This was one of the questions I asked myself because it wasn’t my field. However, I had heard from my former lecturer in the department of Mass Communication, UNIBEN, Mr. Sunday Ekerikevwe, that as a journalist, you are expected to know something about everything, and everything about something. So, I just had to ask questions. When it got to the part of drawing up a proposal, I needed to give details of the road including the length, the width and cost of construction. So, I employed the services of a civil engineer who estimated the cost of the project. The road was 1.5 kilometre in length and 8.8 kilometers in width. I also found out that the estimated cost was to the tune of N263,000,000.

How were you able to get the support of stakeholders?
While I was still at UNIBEN, I was the president of our departmental association, Mass Communication Students Association (MACSA). So, mobilisation has always been easy for me by God’s grace. As such, it was easy to mobilise youths, elders and leaders of the community association to support the project. The leaders gave me a letter, attesting to the fact that members of the community have thrown their weight behind the project and that they were imploring whomever that came across the letter to grant me needed assistance. For the organisations, I had planned writing to them and had even sent emails to some of them. But as God would have it, when I sent my proposal to the House of Representatives member representing Ilorin East and South, Abdulganiyu Cook Olodod, he reached out to me that same day the proposal got to him. That was on August 24, 2021. He called me and said the road had been included in his constituency project for 2021. Exactly one month later, on September 24, they started construction and completed it in January 2022.

You said mobilisation was never an issue for you. Have you had cause to mobilise people to support a project in the past?
I have always felt compassion and empathy when I see a situation of serious concern. While I was in UNIBEN, I contested for the presidency of my departmental association, MACSA. Before I joined the contest, I had started a book campaign because I had a vision to kick-start the very first departmental association library in my department. So I tagged the campaign, ‘Give a MACSAN a Book’. Through that campaign, I was able to raise about 210 books. Before I began to tell people that I wanted to contest for the office of president, they already saw a genuine passion for development of the association in me. So with God helping me, that gave me an edge and I emerged victorious.

We learnt that you are involved in another project in the same community. Tell us about it?
In Aiyegbami community, I also conducted a project on waste management, which was split into two parts – a sensitisation exercise with medical outreach included and subsequent waste evacuation. Based on observations, I discovered that waste disposal was another matter of interest in the community. A youth in the community told me that he was convinced that the prevalence of malaria in the area was largely as a result of improper waste disposal. That was when I knew I had to take it up as my next project. With God helping me, I was able to relate with the youth as counterparts. They are young men of the same age bracket with me, youths that are also eager to see developments in their community. I was able to get them to rally round me; I was able to bond with them. So, when the project was up for execution, they showed up in their numbers and gave me the needed support. The Aiyegbami Progressive Youths was actually the main driving force that pushed these projects. In fact, they gave me a certificate, which they framed and presented to me on their 12th anniversary, which was held in February this year. So by God’s grace, the project is a success.

What was your biggest challenge in executing these projects?
My biggest challenge was keeping up with all the movements I had to make. It’s either I’m going out to carry out more mobilisation, visiting one organisation or the other, or to see the Commissioner for Works. I remember going to the Ministry of Works for three weeks consecutively, which was quite a distance from where I’m staying. It took a toll on my allowee. But I needed to be very committed to achieve what I was looking for. So, I made a lot of movements, coupled with my work in my place of primary assignment.

Do you have another project in mind?
My next project would be in my place of origin, because my service here in Kwara will be done in a few weeks. This is because my community in Enugu is also in dire need of proficient leadership and development. My place of origin also requires the services I have rendered here in Kwara, and I will be doing my people a whole lot of good if I can go back and help out.

Surely, as God lives, keep expecting excellence in whatever you hear that I do, especially when it comes to leadership because by God’s grace, I can say that I possess leadership skills and abilities.

You speak like one who is interested in going into politics…
(Cuts in) By the grace of God, I give my very best in any leadership office I find myself. I believe that I will be very involved in the development of my people when I eventually go back. I will be involved in representing my people in public offices if I’m given the opportunity because I know I will give it my very best. I want things to be better; I want to see my people grow. I would love to see a situation where Enugu State is of national relevance compared to what it is today. I don’t know if I can call it politics, but if the people would give me that opportunity, I would gladly accept it and give it my very best.

What advise do you have for serving corps members?
My advise is that nothing is impossible; a problem is an opportunity to blossom, and right now the world is in search of problem solvers. So, to my fellow corps members, wherever you are posted to, before you expect it to be a place that is flowing with milk and honey, know that service is for solving problems. If you can be committed to solving at least one, the fulfillment will be there. There is this satisfaction that you will feel. And of course the world will celebrate you.

So, whenever we see problems, rather than run away from it, we should see it as an opportunity to blossom and I’m speaking from experiential knowledge.