Lifestyle

Raphael Ejime, a political science graduate and serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, takes advantage of a skill acquisition programme to learn artistic designs and craft

|  By Ishaya Ibrahim  |  Nov. 19, 2012 @ 01:00 GMT

UNLIKE many of his colleagues, Raphael Chukwuma Ejime, a member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, currently serving in Lagos State, may not be bothered looking for a white collar job after his national service. This is because the second-class upper graduate of political science from the Madonna University Okija, in Anambra State, would not just be depending on his certificate for a job, but on the skill he acquired while in the NYSC orientation camp. The NYSC scheme provides a skill acquisition programme that equips corps members with entrepreneurial skills of which some don’t take advantage. But Ejime did, learning artistic designs and craft.

On November 1, some senior officials of the NYSC, including educationists and the media representatives gathered at the Gbagada Girls’ Junior Secondary School, Lagos to celebrate the creative art and craft of Ejime. The 22-year-old multi-talented artist cum political scientist, does not only make creative paintings, carvings and drawings, but also makes foot wears and Tee Shirts.

All his wares were on exhibition at the event, a feat he achieved while still teaching at his place of primary assignment in Gbagada Girls’ Junior Secondary School. “It’s been very, very stressful”, he said on the efforts he put in making all the crafts that were exhibited that day.

Ejime has not only made a success of what he learnt in the NYSC skill acquisition programme, he has also tutored his students in the arts of creative designs. At the exhibition, many of the youngsters he taught had their works displayed, including some drawings of Olaitan Ifeoluwa, a student of Junior Secondary School 2, who made beautiful artistic impressions of various tropical fruits.

Commenting on the effort of Ejime, Adenire Adeyemi, NYSC Lagos State Coordinator, represented by Olorunisomo Shittu, an officer of the corps, described Ejime as an exceptional corps member. “He didn’t say because he read political science, he would not do some creative work. He didn’t even reject being posted to a school like many usually do. He is a true ambassador of the NYSC, impacting on his students positively”, she said.

Also, Tofade Olutomilola, school principal of Gbagada girls’ junior secondary school, commended Ejime for adding value to her school. “Seeing the quality of the things he made, it is unbelievable that we still have youths like Raphael who are talented and passing their talents to younger ones”, she said.

Ejime was born on May 14, 1990, a day he is obsessed with because of its coincidence with the day his hero, Nelson Mandela was conferred the title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, GCFR, in Lagos, after his release from prison in 1994.

Ejime has been an outstanding kid from childhood. In his secondary school days, he distinguished himself as the best literature in English student. In his university, he won the award of most outstanding student award of 2011, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in political science, second class-upper division.

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