NYSC AND THE JOS MASSACRE

NYSC AND THE JOS MASSACRE

The National Youth Service Corps Scheme was established in 1973 out of the nations desire to accelerate socio-economic development, foster national integration and unity after a bitter civil war that ravaged the country.

Since then the scheme has fair well not until the recent Jos massacre, especially the killing of 3 corps members (may be more) has generated reactions from parents, writers, teachers, and more. One will like to ask as the scheme lost its relevance? No! I think it’s the people attitude towards it over time that has changed.
I will like to share view from the national dailies with my readers. There was an article, of which Femi Orebe canvasses for a review of the NYSC scheme with the headline “THE JOS MURDERS AND THE NEED FOR A RE-EVALUATION OF THE NYSC on page 10 of the Nation newspaper of Sunday 21st December, 2008. One of the contributors said it has got to a stage where the yorubas must take a firm position and call for the cancellation of the scheme or change it to a Regional Youth Service Scheme.
The question is that if the scheme is being change to a Regional Youth Service Scheme will it still hold it purpose and essence? In view of this I will like to note that the fundamental objective of establishing the NYSC scheme is to help foster a sense of national commitment and patriotism, and to enhance national integration and unity. One will like to ask again that should the death of three corps members be a template for scrapping the scheme or for the debate of its continued existence? No! My opinion is that the perpetrators should be brought to book to serve as deterrent to others and the scheme shouldn’t be held accountable of any blame.
Another reaction generated from the Nigerian Tribune of December 24, 2008 with headline “CONRESS WANT NYSC SCHEME REVIEWED” with a call for comprehensive insurance policy for all serving corps members. In the article, the president of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) comrade Peter Essele and the general secretary of the association calls for insurance cover for corps members to ensure they are not endangered specie. This call came as a result of the Jos mayhem that leads to the death of three corps members. TUC also call for a new orientation in the way we relate with people and wants the NYSC authorities and the National Orientation Agency to embark on embark on enlightenment campaigns on the objectives of the scheme to the grassroots people so that they don’t see the corps members as intruders or strangers but as fellow Nigerians who have come to help develop their areas.

With this matter arising, I am of a support that the NYSC authorities should embark on national orientation and enlightenment of the scheme’s fundamental objectives via the media; print and electronic. The enlightenment is of necessity most especially among the illiterates and the rural settlers. People need to know that corps members are graduates from the tertiary institutions serving in states other than their own and to contribute their own quota in term of man power development to areas posted to. They should be treated with respect, and rendered necessary assistance and support.
NYSC makes a lot of sense to me, and I say long live NYSC, long live the Ajuwaya spirit…NYSC will never die.
to our great heroes, the three corps members who lives were claimed at the recent Jos sectarian crisis, Akande Oluwaleke olalekan (NYSC/IBP/2008/418867), Akinjogbin Ibukun Oluwatosin (NYSC/IFE/2008/384738) and Odusote Adetola Oluwole (NYSC/OUA/2008/369315), MAY THEIR SOULS REST IN PEACE, AMEN.

…….LONG LIVE NYSC!..........