NYSC and crisis-prone states

AGAINST the backdrop of the rising incidents of hostility against members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) particularly in some states of the federation, the authorities of the NYSC are proposing to redeploy corps members from crisis-ridden states to other states where their safety could be guaranteed. This is long overdue. Within the last one-year or so, a number of youth corps members have fallen victim to untimely death, rape and brutalisation in circumstances that range from ethno-religious conflict to sheer antagonism. For example, last October in Maiduguri, Borno State, a corps member, Miss Grace Ushang was raped and brutally murdered by unknown assailants.

Before that shocking incident, three corps members serving in Jos, Plateau State were murdered in the wake of a destructive ethno-religious conflict that engulfed the city following the problematic council election in Jos North. In December 2008, Miss Antonia Okeke, another serving corps member was reported missing in Ekiti State. Corps member, Olumide Ogunyemi was also around the same period, beaten mercilessly by soldiers over some misunderstanding. Despite his pleas that he was a youth corps member, the soldiers beat him until he sustained a broken wrist and cracked skull.

And in November last year, it was reported that some youth corps members serving in Sunkai, Taraba State, were beaten by the villagers apparently because they were of a different ethnic group. The catalogue of woes that have befallen youth corps members in different parts of the country is quite long.

The maltreatment of corps members in whatever circumstances is condemnable and represents a new dimension in the culture of hatred that pervades the country. We strongly object to the use of corps members as cannon fodder to settle scores of any sort. These youngsters are on national assignment and deserve to be protected and accorded due recognition. It is in this regard that the Director of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Marahasu Tsiga, recently disclosed that the commission has begun the redeployment of corps members from crisis-ridden states to more peaceful ones. He specifically mentioned Ebonyi, Delta and Plateau states as places where NYSC members have been exposed to danger.

The Director made the disclosure during the commission's visit to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana in Ibadan. According to him, security and welfare are the two major problems confronting the scheme. Indeed, many concerned Nigerians have since called for the scrapping of the scheme because of its dwindling fortunes in recent years. Apart from the numerous reported cases of refusal of posting to crisis-prone states by potential corps members and their parents/guardians, it is apparent that the NYSC is finding it extremely difficult to cope with the mounting financial and infrastructural demands needed to cope with the large population of graduates that qualify for the service.

The NYSC scheme was introduced at a time when it was mostly needed. The scheme is part of the effort of the federal government to foster national unity by offering young Nigerian graduates an opportunity to discover their country and appreciate its diversity. After the three-year fratricidal civil war that ravaged the country, the then military regime under Gen. Yakubu Gowon, seeking to re-unite a divided nation and heal the paranoia of its constituent ethnic groups decided to establish the NYSC scheme. The scheme was established on May 22, 1973, with the overriding objectives of promoting national unity, integration and rapid economic development.

There is no doubt that the idea behind the scheme was laudable and the objectives lofty. The NYSC served as framework at that bleak period to re-distribute educated manpower from one part of the country to the other. That provided the youths who beheld the ravages of the war to appreciate the culture of the other ethnic groups across the country. That objective has since been achieved. Also, the NYSC has contributed immeasurably in alleviating the manpower crisis in some states.

Given the enormous contributions of the scheme both in re-uniting the country and in socio-economic development, we do not think that scrapping it is advisable. What is needed at this material time are measures that would help to protect corps members wherever they are posted in the country. There is, therefore, need to re-engineer the scheme in the light of the prevailing circumstances. Obviously, the death of a corps member is an emotional issue. No parents or guardians would like to see their children killed while on national service.

Without doubt, the state governments have a major role to play. Similarly, traditional rulers should be involved. They should speak to their subjects to protect the corps members in their midst who are on national duty to help develop their communities. Somehow, there may be need for an insurance cover for the corps members. The federal government and the NYSC management should endeavour to make the NYSC scheme attractive to ensure its continuity.

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