The Federal Government, through the Minister of Youth Development, has called on state governors and other stakeholders to support the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme to further strengthen national unity. It urged state governments to incorporate corps members into their development programmes and create opportunities that would enable them to live meaningful and productive lives during their service year.
Minister's Call for Support
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, made the call in Abuja during a lecture and anniversary celebration marking the 53rd anniversary of the NYSC. Olawande said the NYSC remained one of Nigeria's strongest platforms for national integration since its establishment in 1973, stressing that the scheme had continued to bridge ethnic, religious, and cultural divides among young Nigerians.
According to him, the khaki uniform worn by corps members has become a symbol of sacrifice, patriotism, determination, and national unity. He said: "We are calling on all governors and stakeholders to support this scheme because no governor, no state, no local government, and no institution can do without NYSC. Support the scheme in your various states. Incorporate NYSC into your developmental activities and create opportunities for corps members to live meaningful and productive lives."
He noted that corps members had over the years served diligently in schools, hospitals, farms, rural communities, public institutions, and private organisations across the country, contributing immensely to national development. The minister said the Ministry of Youth Development would continue to collaborate with stakeholders to expand opportunities for corps members through entrepreneurship, digital skills, leadership development, innovation, and economic empowerment initiatives.
He added, "The future of Nigeria cannot be discussed without the NYSC because the youth agenda can never be complete without this scheme." Olawande also commended the leadership and management of the NYSC for sustaining the scheme despite prevailing security and developmental challenges in the country.
NYSC DG's Remarks
Speaking earlier, the Director-General of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, described the scheme as a veritable platform for promoting national unity, integration, and youth development over the past 53 years. He said the founding fathers of the scheme established it after the Nigerian Civil War to foster unity and mutual understanding among Nigerians.
Nafiu said: "For 53 years, the NYSC has remained a veritable platform for promoting national unity, integration, and youth development. The uniform today has become more than just clothing. It is a symbol of sacrifice, determination, patriotism, and proof that our diversity is not a weakness but our greatest strength as a nation."
He further highlighted that the NYSC remains one of Nigeria's strongest platforms for national integration, where friendships are formed across ethnic and religious lines and young Nigerians learn to share common dreams for a better Nigeria. As part of efforts to preserve the heritage of the scheme and strengthen institutional culture, he announced that the celebration of the NYSC anniversary shall henceforth be institutionalised as an annual event across all formations nationwide.
According to him, corps members have executed impactful community development projects in education, healthcare, rural infrastructure, environmental sanitation, and public enlightenment across underserved communities nationwide. He also highlighted the achievements of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, saying it had equipped thousands of corps members with vocational and entrepreneurial skills that promote self-reliance and job creation.
The DG further announced that the NYSC anniversary celebration would henceforth be institutionalised as an annual event across all formations nationwide to recognise and reward excellence among staff members. Nafiu also paid tribute to the founding father of the scheme, former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, for his vision and commitment to national unity.
Lecture on Nation-Building
In his lecture at the event, Professor Okpeh Okpeh said the anniversary provided a platform for reflection on the role of the NYSC in nation-building and national cohesion over the decades. He stressed the need to examine the lessons of the scheme over the past five decades and develop strategies for sustaining its relevance ahead of its centenary celebration in the future.
