Drawing lessons from my Oljoro National Service Camp experience

My last-born child, a daughter named Tuli, was the other day surprised to find that, among other things, I have above average knowledge when it comes to basic electrical wiring and fittings.

My house power fuse and some wires had blown out as a result of the frequent power hiccups in Tanzania, alias ‘Bongoland.’

And one of my busybody nephews had taken it upon himself to rectify the power supply system. But, no sooner had he begun the task than the system blew up - and he was almost electrocuted.

That was when I rose to the occasion. I put on my worn-out hand gloves and gumboots and tinkered with the electrical system until it functioned properly again. All the time my daughter was sceptically watching.

Finally, she could not fathom this new and professional side of me - and asked how and where I acquired it.

That was also when the name ‘Oljoro’ came to mind. This is an area a few kilometres south-east of the Arusha metropolis.

The first time - and it happens to also be the last time - I was there was in 1974, soon after I had completed my High School education. I was a compulsory attendee at the Oljoro National Service Camp.

It was at Oljoro where I acquired and honed my skills in paramilitary tactics, including using guns.

But, the main undertaking at the camp was farming. The camp had very large farms of maize and beans, as well as poultry and cattle keeping. It was these tiring and time-consuming operations which kept us very busy.

Oljoro Camp had inherited formerly European settlers’ farms which were nationalised under the Feb. 5, 1967 Arusha Declaration on Socialism & Self-Reliance.

The settler farms have a long history. For example, as way back as in June 1851, the European Oljoro farmers formed an association with the objective of furthering the common interest of ‘colonial’ development. The association, chaired by one J. J. Malan, later merged with a similar association of European farmers in North-West Meru.

Back to our National Service Camp in Oljoro... The agricultural activities there were not popular among us servicemen and women. We were, therefore, forced to falsely declare ourselves experts in other undertakings at the camp to avoid agricultural labour.

I chose ‘Electrician’ as my special field of expertise. Little did I know that the Camp’s ‘Afandes’ would assign me to wire a new ‘Function’ hut at the camp on my very first day.

I was forced to stealthily seek help from other servicemen who had attended technical schools to accomplish the task. However, as they say in Swahili - ‘Penye nia pana njia’ (where there is a will, there is a way) I soon mastered - through this stealthy method - handling domestic electrical works.

So, my apparently impressive electrical works watched my sceptical daughter was the product of the Oljoro.

It was not only these borrowed ‘professions’ which we acquired at the Camp. For example, I am now an expert in maize, beans and wheat farming - all thanks to that Oljoro National Youth Service experience.

I am planning to take a pilgrimage to the Camp in a few weeks’ time. And, while there, I will take time to talk to the servicemen/women on the virtues and importance of attending such courses.

Unfortunately, most of our youth today will grow up without these training opportunities. Will they survive the challenges of this modern world? I seriously doubt it!

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The author is a veteran journalist and communications expert based in Arusha