Students express reservations for NYSC mobilisation

By Miracle Beniah, Abatan Emmanuel and Erukubami Odunwole

Last year was a year unpopular with the huge number of violent attacks on innocent Nigerians, especially the youths. Students of secondary and higher institutions were not sure of their safety anywhere; in school, at home or on their way to or from their schools.  National Youth Service Corps members are also not spared from the attacks. 

In October, corp members were kidnapped by bandits in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara on their way to camp. Same last year a Youth Corps member, Victor Omah was declared missing by the Ebonyi State Police. 

Recall that, in September 2021, pictures of pages of “Security Awareness and Education Handbook For Corps Members and Staff,” which contains some 'embarrassing' security tips surfaced online. Although it was originally denied by the body after the insistence of members of the public on social media and report of the Premium Times newspaper it was later admitted to being 'different copies in circulation. The pages of the handbook which went viral contain obnoxious tips on how to deal with kidnap situations with respect to ransom payment.

In short interviews with students of higher institutions in Lagos, different opinions and reservations were expressed with regards to the mobilisation for NYSC, especially to areas prone to insecurity.

Timilehin Adegunloye of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism revealed that he would likely go for NYSC but if he does, he would want to be posted to states in the South where it's safe.

Deji Kamson, a 300 level student of the University of Lagos stated that he wouldn't be serving outside Lagos because interstate travelling is not safe.

Final year student of NIJ, Odunwole Tobi revealed that he wouldn't be going for NYSC because the pay is small, the welfare of corps are not considered and one is not sure of getting hired in the organization where one served. He advised that students finish school and start the hunt for jobs early or learn a trade or skill.

Oladunni Ayobami believes that being mobilised for NYSC is a great privilege to graduates of higher institutions and being posted anywhere, even to the north, will not stop him from going. He noted that aside from serving their fatherland and making their parents proud by putting on the NYSC Khaki, he believes some students want to go for NYSC for the monthly allowance and to experience other parts of the country.

"The certificate gives another privilege in some organizations because they do ask for it and if you don't attend the NYSC you may lose the job because of that, but we all know the country is having the issue of insecurity so that can't stop me from going to the northern part and serve my country," Ayobami said.

Adeyemo Damilola said as much as she wants to serve her fatherland through the NYSC program, if she is posted to the north she wouldn't go. 

"Not just because of insecurity alone, the lack of health facilities too."

Adeyemo told the stories of her friend and an acquaintance who died during service year because of a  lack of quick medical treatment. "There is another one who was sick but they don't have the equipment to take care of him and they had to tell him to come back to Lagos, on getting to Lagos it was worse and they had to do surgery" 

She holds firmly that until the government fix all these problems she wouldn't go there for her service.

Olukutan Oyindamola, a final year student of NIJ however said she wouldn't attend the orientation not to talk of trying to go to the north for her service year, she will rather redeploy because of the insecurity issues in Nigeria. "A lot of people are dying each day in the North and can't expose myself to danger". Oyindamola wants the government to let people serve in their various states or region where they grew up and have family members.

Iyede Christianah from NIJ said she won't go of poster to the northern part just because of the insecurity and the bandit and Boko-haram issue and wouldn't advise people going to that place

The National Youth Service Corps is a program set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in the nation-building and development of the country.

 As a way to foster unity and understanding, participants or corpers are posted to states other than their state of origin where they are expected to mix with people from different ethnic groups and backgrounds.