NONGOVMEDIA

In 2018, during my National Youth Service, I brought my camera into the orientation camp at Iseyin, Oyo State. For 21 days, graduates from across Nigeria were subjected to military-style regimentation: drills, lectures, and punishments for lateness, improper dressing, or sleeping during class.

What I witnessed was a fascinating negotiation of authority. Outside the camp, soldiers were feared for their brutality. Inside the camp, corpers were considered "government property" — untouchable in the usual sense. The soldiers therefore devised alternative forms of discipline: holding a salute under the scorching sun, running laps, or standing in formation for hours.

At the center of it all was the RSM — with his ever-present stick tucked in his armpit, his booming voice, and his relentless orders. He became the embodiment of the camp's spirit: strict but symbolic, harsh but strangely protective.

This series documents not just punishment, but the ritual of discipline — how a nation rehearses authority on its young citizens, preparing them to both obey and endure.