The Insight by Lateef Adewole
One trending news in Nigeria in the past few days has been the issue of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). It trended following a bill at the House of Representatives, which seeks to cancel the scheme by repealing the Act that set it up. It has reached second reading. This is a programme established by Decree No. 24 of 1973, with the aim of unifying Nigerians, especially the youths, consequent upon ending of the unfortunate civil war that the country went through between 1967 and 1970.
It was designed to engender reconciliation, reconstruction and rebuilding of the country. It was meant to inculcate the spirit of togetherness, oneness and brotherhood among the citizens of Nigeria. Likewise, it is expected to instill discipline and sense of responsibility to the community in our youths who go through the programme. But, has it achieved all these?
Firstly, it is being contemplated if NYSC should be scrapped or not, is an indication of an embedded problem, especially at this time, when all the objectives for which it was established seems to have vapourised. Today, the state of Nigeria now is worse than the post civil war. This is because, the whole country is in turmoil, itching towards a boiling point. There is insecurity in the six geopolitical zones.
As at the end of the war that took about thirty months and even during the war, many parts of the country still experienced relatively “normal” lives. People could go around without fear. There was nothing like terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, ritualism, and so on. Only armed robbery started to sprout after the war. It was due to the weapons that proliferated into the communities from the war time. Also, there was substantial unity among the majority of Nigerians then, even during the war, unlike now, where the divisiveness is palpable.
Nigeria has never been this divided along tribal and religious lines in our history. The mutual suspicion has reached an incredible threshold. The bond of brotherhood among different ethnic groups is shaking. The unity of Nigeria is seriously challenged at this time. Many regions are now agitating for self-determination, secession, break-up, and the likes, unlike during the war when it was only the Eastern region that wanted to secede from Nigeria. The rest wanted to remain.
Back to the question of the continuous relevance of the NYSC scheme, in my opinion, I feel it should not be scrapped. For those who have been calling for the end to the programme, it is understandable, given the challenges it has faced in some past years now, especially as they affect the corps members themselves.
Historically, the objectives for its establishment were loftily being met. It was a pride to don the “khaki shirt and trousers, with the jungle boots”. The ceremonial NYSC crested vest was unique and distinguishes “government pikins” (as corps members are called), from the rest of the society. Wearing NYSC uniforms used to be a kind of “protection” against regular attacks in those days but not sure about that now. Many youths anxiously looked forward to the day they will receive their call-up letters during their undergraduate years. It was enough an incentive to make students do everything possible to ensure they never had any carry-over in or up to their final year in schools. This is because, NYSC call-up letter exposes whoever did not graduate. Same as parents.
It’s a thing of pride within any community that one’s child was going for national youth service. It entailed celebrations in some rural communities. Many parents would insist that their serving children walk through the community donning their full NYSC regalia. After service, many would wash, iron and hang their complete uniforms for safe-keeping. It is kept like a souvenir. In 2002, I met a man in Aba while I worked and lived there. He was among the first set of NYSC members of 1973. He told me how he kept his uniforms since then till around 2001, for 28 years, when his son went for his own national service. He blessed him with it.
He told me that when the boy wore his (father’s) old NYSC kits at the orientation camp, it was so distinct in all ramifications that other corps members’ attentions were drawn to it, including many officials. They were shocked when he told them where the uniform came from. Just like most things now in Nigeria, compared to the past, the uniforms were top quality. The boots, belt, vests, cap, and all. They have no comparison with what we have now. Can we single out the organisation for blame? Of course not. In a lawless society, obeying the rule is a crime. In a country where nearly everything has become degenerate and infrastructures dilapidated, institutions corrupted and they are shadows of their pasts, how would NYSC be standing? Were the people saddled with its management not Nigerians?
I realised that the programme was losing its pride when I saw the “khaki” uniform on an okada rider. A corps member must have gifted it to him after passing out. There was a picture that went viral few years ago. It was a herder (a young boy) who donned the NYSC crested vest while herding his cattle in a university neighbourhood. He must have been dashed by a corps member too. That is the level of regard that participants in the programme now attached to the national service. It’s a shame. What could have been the cause of this?
Before now, the only worry that parents and prospective corps members had was the risk of travelling by the road for many who could not afford to fly, especially when posted to far places. Even at that, it was always exciting because of the opportunity to see the countryside on such long trips. The first time I had to travel very far from the South-West region was when I went for my NYSC in Akwa Ibom state. Then, night journey in luxurious bus was fun, exhilarating, though, a bit scary but not like we have now. It was the normal and preferred way of traveling long journey then.
Later, the coming of the forth republic and the engagement of corps members for election purposes brought with it another challenge. Considering the thuggery, brigandage and violence that often characterised our elections, foisted by desperate politicians, the corps members were, many times, put on the harm’s way. Over the last twenty two years of our democracy, many corps members have lost their lives during or after elections.
The violence that followed the 2011 presidential election across the northern states, occasioned by the loss by the then General Muhammadu Buhari, still remained fresh in our memories. Seven corps members were murdered in cold blood in Bauchi state alone. There were other cases in different parts of the country. That began to put question marks on the essence of continuing the programme. Many parents started to worry for their kids henceforth.
What about today? The country has been declared one of the most dangerous places to live, to be born and to raise children. One of the most terrorised countries in the world. Two of the top four deadliest organisations in the world; Boko Haram and killer Fulani herdsmen, are resident in Nigeria. ISWAP is now here. And many other scary indices. With the bandits taking over virtually all the northern states, and the spillover effects to the southern parts, in addition to the perennial criminalities from that region like armed robbery, ritual killings, kidnappings, etc., who would not be worried sending their wards out there in the wilderness, in the name of serving their fatherland, which itself, could not protect them as students who were being kidnapped with reckless abandon?
Many parents and the graduates themselves are always apprehensive. No wonder they desperately do all within their powers to “rig” their postings back to their bases or at least, states where they felt, are safer. If everyone does that, then, the essence of the programme would have, largely, been defeated. Many youths would never have, ordinarily, travelled to many of the places that NYSC took them. I travelled through eight states and numerous cities, towns and villages, to get to my destination for NYSC. Why would I have done so, ordinarily?
Furthermore, I had the (mis)fortune of being posted to a small private secondary school in a remote village. That brings me to another reason why many criticize the programme. Despite having an outstanding academic result as a First Class (Hons.) graduate of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and with the numerous companies where such qualification was relevant, including oil companies, the best I got was the village school. Whereas, some who studied irrelevant courses to those engineering companies found their ways to them because of “man-know-man”, the nepotism that has killed the country. Why would someone like me be enthused about the service?
With the grace of God, my contentment and my zeal to affect other peoples’ lives, I dedicated myself to my duties of teaching Mathematics, Physics and some Technical courses in the school, for God’s sake and as a service to humanity. I impacted the lives of the students. Such level of dedication earned me the Award as the Best Corps Member among those posted to the school, on the completion of our service. But, what value was added to me professionally during the period? Situations like that made people to underrate the programme.
I will advocate for reorganisation of the programme rather than scraping it because, it’s even needed more now than ever. Firstly, NYSC still remains one of the programmes that bring citizens from all over the country together, irrespective of their tribes or religions. Secondly, it serves as a transition period during which graduates get more matured and begin to understand how real life, outside campus, works. Imagine taking many of these “neophytes” fresh from schools to work in offices? Many will mess up big time.
This also necessitates proper planning about posting corps members to organisations relevant to their professions, future developments and interests, as much as possible. Graduates of Engineering should be placed in organisations where they can gain relevant experiences. Likewise for many other professionals.
The NYSC period helps to groom young school leavers and prepare them for greater challenges. Also, that period may be the first time many of them ever earned “personal incomes”. There is a great feeling about working and getting paid. They begin to appreciate the value of work and money for those who want to be responsible. That also serves as a source of savings for the serious and prudent ones. I believe that whoever cannot manage the small “allowee” given to them, will be prodigal with bigger amounts. It should instill more financial discipline in them. I knew what I was able to do, to support my family and younger ones from my own very meagre allowances at the time. I was able to buy a brand new Raleigh bicycle after few months into my service year. That was the “big boy’s asset” in that village. With it, I explored all the adjoining villages to my base. I mingled with the indigenes. I enjoyed my stay to the best of my ability.
The programme should be reviewed and improved upon. But like many things that we are clamouring for to be improved upon, will the government act as and when necessary? Despite the overall financial difficulties that the country faces, I will recommend that the NYSC allowances should be increased. It can be structured in two parts. One will be a reasonable amount paid monthly to them to keep “body and soul” together. The other part should be a bulk amount to be paid to them at the end the service year like severance package. After all, political office holders pay themselves “criminally” outrageous remunerations and severance packages.
But that severance package should be after completion of trainings in any vocation of their choice, skill acquisition and entrepreneurship programme, that include financial education too. The corps members should be mandated to do them to qualify for the severance package. The bulk money will serve as seed capital for them to start their vocational practices or business ventures after service, rather than roaming the streets, looking for white collar jobs. They could become employers themselves and help reduce the level of unemployment in the country.
The youth corps should not be posted to high security risk areas. Their welfare should also be top priority to the management of the organisation.
In all, NYSC programme should not be discontinued but improved upon for better delivery of results.
May God continue to protect us and guide us aright.
God Bless Nigeria.
Lateef Adewole is a political analyst and social commentator. He can be reached by email lateefadewole23@gmail.com or via WhatsApp +2348179512401 and @lateef_adewole on Twitter, Lateef Adewole on Facebook
