Corps Members Are Source Of Pride To The Nation —NYSC Director

The Director in charge of NYSC Southwest geopolitical zone, Mr. Oluwole Julius Amusan has described the corps members as the joy and pride of the nation who should be mindful of their call to nation-building.

The Director made the statement while speaking to 2023 Batch 'B' (Stream II) corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko.

Amusan, who spoke passionately as a father appealed to the members of the service corps not to engage in frivolous journeys or travel in the night as the highways are not safe when it is longer daylight.

"My dear corps members, research and statistics has shown that corps members who travel in the night and those without official permission accounted for the larger percentage of corps members who met their untimely death in the course of national service. We are not against your travelling but caution must be taken against unwarranted and frivolous journeys".

"The nation that has invested so much in you as well as your parents who have laboured are constantly praying and earnestly waiting for that period when they will eat the fruits of their labour and it saddens the heart when the unexpected happens as a result of unwarranted journeys. It is our joy to give you your Certificate of National Service (CNS) at the end of the service year and see you return home safely to your parents and loved ones" he said.

The one time State Coordinator in Akwa Ibom State asserted that the time of national service is a period of transition from dependence to independence and charged them to leverage on the opportunity the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme that the Scheme offered.

"NYSC has always been pragmatic in her approach to matters that concern the graduate youths and this is the reason why the Scheme is continuously churning out programmes that will make the corps members have a sense of responsibility during and after the service year. The mischief makers turned the acronym: NYSC into something else, and the management in their ingenuity established the SAED eleven years ago to make corps members employers of labour rather than employment seekers".

Amusan, an alumnus of the Great Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife advised the corps members to see life from positive perspectives so that leadership training they are exposed to in camp will be handy for them when the time comes to navigate the challenges of life.

"My children, challenges will always come but NYSC has seen far into the future and has prepared for you orientation course contents fully loaded with activities that will make you stronger in the face of adversity and challenges. Waking you up early in the morning, going through drills and parade, encouraging you to attend lectures and curtailing all your youthful exuberance in a regimented environment is not meant to punish but to toughen you and prepare you for leadership positions you are expected to take up in the foreseeable future".

He encouraged them to initiate and sustain lasting relationships with each one another as the future will be better.

Let no one tolerate but celebrate you. The Federal Government through the National Youth Service Corps knows that you are potent leaders that can pull this country together as the most productive strata of the society. The nation will continue to celebrate your great exploits that will turn around the fortunes of this great country" he declared.

The prolific writer and meticulous administrator openly commended the State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani for the massive infrastructural development she has brought to the permanent orientation camp.

Amusan, who was a member of the team that birthed the online registration in 2014 when the Scheme deployed Information Communication Technology to move from analogue to digital said the administrative capacity delivery of the State Coordinator is outstanding considering the disciplined nature that pervaded the entire camp community.

He appreciated everyone for the warm reception accorded him and his team and promised not to waiver from his resolve to continue giving the best to the youths in the country.

Briefing the visiting Director earlier, the State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani disclosed that the corps members and indeed the entire camp community has been looking forward to host one of the think tank team of modern NYSC.

The State Coordinator while giving update reports on the programme and activities since the commencement of the orientation course stated that the corps members have cooperated and shown understanding with the management in resolving all the observations raised, which was meant to make the camp exciting and enjoyable.

Mrs. Ani charged the corps members to learn from the amiable administrator who has devoted his productive years to mentoring youths and shaping their lives towards contributing positively to nation-building.

In his usual generous manner, the man popularly called 'Ariwajoye' by close friends and associates extended his token of appreciation to some groups within the corps members notably, Quarter Guard, Cultural Troupe, Parade Band, Orientation Broadcasting Service (OBS) Crew.