ON NYSC TO CONSIDER DEPLOYING CORPS MEMBERS TO GHANA, OTHER WEST AFRICAN STATES – IS THE NYSC STILL FOR NIGERIA OR FOR ECOWAS?
April 23, 2021 | News
With regard to recent reports that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) may consider deploying corps members to the 16 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Corps, going by one of the suggestions offered at its top management retreat in Niger State, I cannot help but ask and wonder, is the NYSC for ECOWAS or Nigeria?
ON NYSC TO CONSIDER DEPLOYING CORPS MEMBERS TO GHANA, OTHER WEST AFRICAN STATES – IS THE NYSC STILL FOR NIGERIA OR FOR ECOWAS?
With regard to recent reports that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) may consider deploying corps members to the 16 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Corps, going by one of the suggestions offered at its top management retreat in Niger State, I cannot help but ask and wonder, is the NYSC for ECOWAS or Nigeria? Or are they trying to use this channel to worsen and complicate the already apprehensive insecurity situation in Nigeria from other West African countries?
Though, according to the report, it was a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, one Prof. Oka Obono, that gave the proposition to the NYSC top management during the retreat in Suleja, while delivering his lecture titled; “Strategies for Sustaining the NYSC in a Changing World.” Obono stated that the advantages of Nigerian corps members deployed across the West African sub-region would include the vast reduction of unemployment among the youths as well as regional exposure. He advocated that all stakeholders should embrace expansion strategies that would be of benefit to the youths.
All well and good, but the fact still remains that the NYSC, as presently practiced in Nigeria, has outlived its usefulness, and as such, should not be considered for any sort of expansion to other parts of West Africa. I cannot even count how many young Nigerians have lost their lives over the years, under this NYSC scheme. We have had several reported and unreported cases of young Nigerians with bright futures, who had died in the name of undergoing the so-called NYSC program. And there is always the possibility of many still going to lose their lives through the NYSC Scheme, and we wonder what our lawmakers are doing about this? We can then imagine what would happen if the NYSC program involves across border postings with other ECOWAS countries. The idea of deploying corps members to other West African countries in other to reduce unemployment amongst the Nigerian youth populace, does not make sense because the NYSC scheme is only meant to last for a period of One year. Are we saying that serving as a youth corp member in one of the ECOWAS countries guarantees that person of gainful employment after the service year? It simply does not make sense.
I believe that when something is no longer working or is no longer achieving the purpose for which it was intended to achieve, then that thing should be scrapped and done away with. The NYSC program does not bring about any sort of ‘Unity’ across Nigeria because ‘modern development and events over the years’ have practically overtaken its usefulness or relevance. As such, the NYSC program should be promptly scrapped.
If the NYSC Scheme is no more, our Nigerian young graduates will not be exposed to all kinds of risks that go with the obviously irrelevant NYSC Scheme, which could lead to their deaths. It is obvious that our Nigerian politicians do not feel the pains of the people who have lost their children through this NYSC thing. This is because, aside from the fact that they manipulate the system to ensure that their children are posted to States of their preference, they also provide the ‘comfort’ for their children serving in the NYSC Scheme. So, these political leaders do not feel the pains of the people neither do they care about the poor Nigerian parents who do not have the connections and cannot provide the desired comfort for their children during their service year.
To make matters worse, the children of the poor Nigerian parents/Guardians usually come out after all the headaches they face during their NYSC year, to start riding Keke (commercial tricycles) to earn a living while others are seen working as unskilled casual labourers at sites of construction buildings. We can see that the Scheme is the height of insensitivity to the plight of the average Nigerian youth already traumatized by a poor but rigorous education system and who even face a bleak future in the labour market. Aside from the inability of NYSC to adequately carter for Corp members due to high increase in their population and inadequate funds for the scheme, the Nigerian entity has grown beyond the need for Nigeria to still maintain the NYSC Scheme in the name of entrenching ‘national unity.
With Nigerian graduates that are serving as NYSC members, becoming targets of kidnap and Boko Haram insurgents; getting killed and maimed in the Northern parts of the country, particularly in post-election violence that erupted in those parts of the country in the past, many Nigerians are greatly worried that the NYSC Scheme, rather than being a unifying agent, is now a channel through which their sons and daughters are murdered, kidnapped for ransoms or lose their lives due to sheer negligence in the Orientation Camps.
Aside from the identified problem above, the NYSC Scheme is also inflicted with the problems of mismanagement, corruption, ineptitude in functions, and lack of focus. It has been observed that during the three weeks of NYSC Camp experience and paramilitary training, apart from the benefits of networking/inter-mingling with Corp members from different parts and background of the country; the feeding and accommodation in most NYSC CAMPS in the country is so pathetic and sorry sight to behold that one begins to wonder, are these ‘refugees’ or ‘graduates’ of higher institutions? Then the most disturbing part of all is when youth Corp members are designated to their various ‘primary assignment areas’ where one is expected to serve his or her fatherland in one year.
Apart from the fact that most youth Corp members are assigned to serve in schools, irrespective of what they have studied, there is the problem of getting ‘rejected’, particularly to those assigned to serve in companies, organizations, corporate bodies, etc. In fact, some Corps members are driven out at the gate entrance of some establishments. And their usual excuse is “no space” for them to be taken to serve. This leaves many corps members roaming the streets of cities looking for where to ‘serve their father land and prepare themselves for the labour market that is without jobs. Even those posted to rural areas/schools (including those in the cities) usually suffer the problems of getting a good and well-ventilated accommodation to stay for the whole year. The truth is that the ‘evolved problems’ of the whole NYSC Scheme are too numerous to elaborate on. All of which questions its relevance. The NYSC Scheme is now branded by undergraduates as – “Now Your Suffering Continues” - NYSC.
With all of these problems in the country’s National Youth Service Corps program, it will therefore be foolhardy and unwise to think of expanding it to other ECOWAS countries, where the Nigerian youths will possibly be exposed to more risks. Nigerian lawmakers and Politicians should stop politicizing the ‘lives’ of our young Nigerians. When a project or scheme is failing, it is better to stop such a project/scheme rather than leave it to continue causing heartaches for the citizenry. Nigerians do not have to beg before the NYSC Scheme is completely scrapped. A Government that does not care about the lives of its people, or does not listen or give ear to the cries of its people, is not worth anyone’s praise. The NYSC scheme does not worth the blood of any young Nigerian Graduate. No human can create even an egg, so why risk the lives of young Nigerian Graduates in the name of them serving their country?
The crux of the matter is that the NYSC Scheme is outdated, obsolete, irrelevant, and has outlived its usefulness, hence, completely scrapping it will be the best possible solution. Our graduates do not deserve to be subjected or exposed to any sort of extortion, hardship, risks of their lives, or anything that would make their efforts to settle down in life more difficult than it is already.
Zik Gbemre.
April 23, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
With regard to recent reports that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) may consider deploying corps members to the 16 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Corps, going by one of the suggestions offered at its top management retreat in Niger State, I cannot help but ask and wonder, is the NYSC for ECOWAS or Nigeria? Or are they trying to use this channel to worsen and complicate the already apprehensive insecurity situation in Nigeria from other West African countries?
Though, according to the report, it was a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, one Prof. Oka Obono, that gave the proposition to the NYSC top management during the retreat in Suleja, while delivering his lecture titled; “Strategies for Sustaining the NYSC in a Changing World.” Obono stated that the advantages of Nigerian corps members deployed across the West African sub-region would include the vast reduction of unemployment among the youths as well as regional exposure. He advocated that all stakeholders should embrace expansion strategies that would be of benefit to the youths.
All well and good, but the fact still remains that the NYSC, as presently practiced in Nigeria, has outlived its usefulness, and as such, should not be considered for any sort of expansion to other parts of West Africa. I cannot even count how many young Nigerians have lost their lives over the years, under this NYSC scheme. We have had several reported and unreported cases of young Nigerians with bright futures, who had died in the name of undergoing the so-called NYSC program. And there is always the possibility of many still going to lose their lives through the NYSC Scheme, and we wonder what our lawmakers are doing about this? We can then imagine what would happen if the NYSC program involves across border postings with other ECOWAS countries. The idea of deploying corps members to other West African countries in other to reduce unemployment amongst the Nigerian youth populace, does not make sense because the NYSC scheme is only meant to last for a period of One year. Are we saying that serving as a youth corp member in one of the ECOWAS countries guarantees that person of gainful employment after the service year? It simply does not make sense.
I believe that when something is no longer working or is no longer achieving the purpose for which it was intended to achieve, then that thing should be scrapped and done away with. The NYSC program does not bring about any sort of ‘Unity’ across Nigeria because ‘modern development and events over the years’ have practically overtaken its usefulness or relevance. As such, the NYSC program should be promptly scrapped.
If the NYSC Scheme is no more, our Nigerian young graduates will not be exposed to all kinds of risks that go with the obviously irrelevant NYSC Scheme, which could lead to their deaths. It is obvious that our Nigerian politicians do not feel the pains of the people who have lost their children through this NYSC thing. This is because, aside from the fact that they manipulate the system to ensure that their children are posted to States of their preference, they also provide the ‘comfort’ for their children serving in the NYSC Scheme. So, these political leaders do not feel the pains of the people neither do they care about the poor Nigerian parents who do not have the connections and cannot provide the desired comfort for their children during their service year.
To make matters worse, the children of the poor Nigerian parents/Guardians usually come out after all the headaches they face during their NYSC year, to start riding Keke (commercial tricycles) to earn a living while others are seen working as unskilled casual labourers at sites of construction buildings. We can see that the Scheme is the height of insensitivity to the plight of the average Nigerian youth already traumatized by a poor but rigorous education system and who even face a bleak future in the labour market. Aside from the inability of NYSC to adequately carter for Corp members due to high increase in their population and inadequate funds for the scheme, the Nigerian entity has grown beyond the need for Nigeria to still maintain the NYSC Scheme in the name of entrenching ‘national unity.
With Nigerian graduates that are serving as NYSC members, becoming targets of kidnap and Boko Haram insurgents; getting killed and maimed in the Northern parts of the country, particularly in post-election violence that erupted in those parts of the country in the past, many Nigerians are greatly worried that the NYSC Scheme, rather than being a unifying agent, is now a channel through which their sons and daughters are murdered, kidnapped for ransoms or lose their lives due to sheer negligence in the Orientation Camps.
Aside from the identified problem above, the NYSC Scheme is also inflicted with the problems of mismanagement, corruption, ineptitude in functions, and lack of focus. It has been observed that during the three weeks of NYSC Camp experience and paramilitary training, apart from the benefits of networking/inter-mingling with Corp members from different parts and background of the country; the feeding and accommodation in most NYSC CAMPS in the country is so pathetic and sorry sight to behold that one begins to wonder, are these ‘refugees’ or ‘graduates’ of higher institutions? Then the most disturbing part of all is when youth Corp members are designated to their various ‘primary assignment areas’ where one is expected to serve his or her fatherland in one year.
Apart from the fact that most youth Corp members are assigned to serve in schools, irrespective of what they have studied, there is the problem of getting ‘rejected’, particularly to those assigned to serve in companies, organizations, corporate bodies, etc. In fact, some Corps members are driven out at the gate entrance of some establishments. And their usual excuse is “no space” for them to be taken to serve. This leaves many corps members roaming the streets of cities looking for where to ‘serve their father land and prepare themselves for the labour market that is without jobs. Even those posted to rural areas/schools (including those in the cities) usually suffer the problems of getting a good and well-ventilated accommodation to stay for the whole year. The truth is that the ‘evolved problems’ of the whole NYSC Scheme are too numerous to elaborate on. All of which questions its relevance. The NYSC Scheme is now branded by undergraduates as – “Now Your Suffering Continues” - NYSC.
With all of these problems in the country’s National Youth Service Corps program, it will therefore be foolhardy and unwise to think of expanding it to other ECOWAS countries, where the Nigerian youths will possibly be exposed to more risks. Nigerian lawmakers and Politicians should stop politicizing the ‘lives’ of our young Nigerians. When a project or scheme is failing, it is better to stop such a project/scheme rather than leave it to continue causing heartaches for the citizenry. Nigerians do not have to beg before the NYSC Scheme is completely scrapped. A Government that does not care about the lives of its people, or does not listen or give ear to the cries of its people, is not worth anyone’s praise. The NYSC scheme does not worth the blood of any young Nigerian Graduate. No human can create even an egg, so why risk the lives of young Nigerian Graduates in the name of them serving their country?
The crux of the matter is that the NYSC Scheme is outdated, obsolete, irrelevant, and has outlived its usefulness, hence, completely scrapping it will be the best possible solution. Our graduates do not deserve to be subjected or exposed to any sort of extortion, hardship, risks of their lives, or anything that would make their efforts to settle down in life more difficult than it is already.
Zik Gbemre.
April 23, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes