NEWS DIGEST – The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was established by the former military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon(rtd) in 1973 few years after the end of Nigerian civil war to encourage and develop common ties among Nigerians and as well ginger national unity in the post civil war Nigeria epoch.
Let me state that successive corps members have a divergent conviction about the NYSC scheme. However, the general conviction of these Nigerian youths can be classified into those who see the NYSC as a ‘waste of time’ and those who perceive it to be ‘an avenue for experience.’
Personally, NYSC has not in any way being a waste of time for me, even though it has not been so rosy and stress-free, exalted is the Almighty for the journey so far. Although, religiously, I have over the time being affected to a level because as a muslim (male), it is compulsory and rewarding to pray the whole (5) five daily prayers in the Mosque and reward-ably in congregation which I have been missing in the course of NYSC due to the frontier I have been posted to. This is common among muslim corpers serving in this heterogeneous but dominantly christian Akoko-Edo LGA of Edo State, Nigeria.
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Having said that, I will say NYSC is an avenue to acquire more experience that will aid in life’s journey ahead. During the NYSC, I have had a chance to serve in leadership positions which unarguably will help me in nearest future politically, socially and spiritually. Also, I have learnt the truest definition of humility, patience, tolerance and togetherness in my day to day activities in the course of my NYSC without being skeptical, I will reiterate that NYSC is an avenue to add more experience.
Be that as It may, some members see it as a waste of time due to sheer carelessness about education in the locality they are posted to. Some of them have in many occasions confessed that they decide when to go to their Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) and when not to devoid of any form of punishment or sanction. These set of corp members view the scheme as a waste of time but left with no option than to remain in their various PPA as if everything is fine with them because of monthly clearance, weekly Community Development Service (CDS), general monthly CDS and unforseen inspection by the NYSC headquarter. Still, under these set of corps members, some have their way out of their various PPA’s, perhaps they have something better or can not withstand the struggles involved and only present for monthly clearance exercise with the help of some ‘big guns’ at NYSC.
To this end, I want to urge both National, State and Akoko-Edo NYSC to make it an utmost priority to have an effective quarterly visit to every PPA to inspect both the condition of the PPA and corps members.
NYSC should also ensure that corps members are well looked after without fear or favour. They should make it their responsibility to ensure that the rights of the corp members are not denied by their employers.
Finally, should any PPA found wanting, either with the condition of their place of work or being lackadaisical about the corp members welfare which may cause them any form of discomfort, NYSC should have a certain penalty to serve as a wake-up call to such abnormalities.
God bless Nigeria!
Habeeb is a member of Editorial and Publicity group CDS and a Batch A stream 2 serving corps member in Igarra, Akoko-Edo LGA.
A good touch of what the NYSC stands, good one Sir