Cast: Jide Kosoko, Ayo Mogaji, Lala Akindoju, Damola Olatunji, Efa Iwara, Etinosa Idemudia, Emmanuel Mordi, Chiagoziem Nwankama and Oyepelumi Alawoki
Year: 2018
The National Youth Service year is a very dramatic year for youths that have been or are going through the process. A lot of drama that you thought only existed on your TV screen will be displayed live for you to participate in.
Access bank plays a part in the lives of Youth Corp Members during the one-year period. Through Access, many Corp members are paid their monthly allowance. This, might have inspired Access to create a show for NYSC, through their online TV, Accelerate TV.
With its first episode showing on YouTube, “Corper Shun” puts the lives of five Corp members in perspective. They have just left the orientation camp to begin serving in their primary place of assignment, but before that, they will need a letter from their local government inspector but there are some hurdles for them to deal with before fully coming into the challenging year. The first is the overarching local government inspector – AAA, who is brash, rude and funny. If you have gone through the process of NYSC, you will agree that the extent of drama from the local government inspectors has no end.
AAA has no time to listen or commit to helping the young Corp members who find themselves confused after they do not receive their posting letters. When they complain to him and other supervisors, they are insulted for it
When the Corp Members are done with their Local government Inspector, they have themselves to battle. Introduced as the main characters on “Corper Shun” are, Gbenga, I.B, Valerie, Zubby, and Amina. These young people get into the bustle as soon as they leave the orientation camp and we see the diversity from each of them play an important part in the storytelling.
Fresh from London – or not, IB (Etinosa Idemudia) is intentional about proving a point about her privileged background and will frustrate Valerie (Chiagoziem Nwankama) into craving a similar social standing.
Despite the promise that comes with it, “Corper Shun” debuts with brow-raising moments that leave us with questions after the first episode. In spite of its interest in showing Corp Members struggling to get their letters, this web series does not make a splash of the chaos that happens in the office of the Local government Inspector’s office. Chaos is an integral part of the National Youth Service year and it can hardly be removed from a gathering of Corp members. They try to achieve chaos with many scenes we watch in the first episode but they fail to capture it.
The writers and director focus on the lead characters that are introduced to us before the first episode ends. Very early on, “Corper Shun” deliberately tries to infuse humour as a core of the show. The attempt at this looks forced and for anyone that loves a free flow of humour, this is one of the first things you will note while settling into the season of “Corper Shun”.
Is “Corper Shun” a true depiction of NYSC or not? As the season progresses, we will bring you updates on why this is essential as entertainment or not.
Nollywood Observer 