NYSC @ 48: Corps members hold unity, cultural carnival in Kogi, want scheme’s sustenance

The Kogi State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mr Olayiwola Lasaki, has appealed to the Federal Government not to heed the calls for the scraping of NYSC.

He said that the scheme remained the only veritable tools that could unify the Nigerian youth.

Lasaki made the appeal on Saturday during the Cultural Carnival to mark the NYSC at 48, Unity March 2021 of Batch ‘A’ Stream ll Orientation course at Asaya NYSC camp, Kabba, Kogi.

The state coordinator described the organisation as a melting point where youths from diverse ethnic groups came together for the promotion of unity, cultural heritage and national development.

He noted that the call at the National Assembly to scrap the 48-year-old NYSC could grossly affect the unity and peaceful coexistence of the citizens.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians and the federal government to protect the youth corps scheme to continue discharging its statutory roles of unifying the nation.

“NYSC is like a melting point which involves everybody.

”The organisation should not be scraped for any reason because it stands for promotion of unity and such organisation should remain to serve the citizens better,” Lasaki said.

Lasaki appreciated the Director-General NYSC, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, for initiating the carnival and the unity march at the camp.

He further commended the NYSC D-G for his quality leadership and the way he handled the organisation during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Earlier, Mrs Ugbomah Nseobong, Head of Socials, NYSC Kogi State, said that the NYSC at 48 Unity March was a new innovation introduced to mark its years of existence.

She said that it was to showcase the scheme’ achievements as a unifying factor in the common and collective strength of the youth.

“The scheme symbolises our togetherness through a procession of a people whose tongue, tribe and creed may differ, and rather stand solidly in brotherhood.

“Today we have witnessed a ‘Unity Pot ‘ portraying the strength, agility, vigour and doggedness of the youth in nation building as they coexists in peace and tranquility,” she said .

She noted that the youth, irrespective of their fields of endeavour, were trained on Digital, Agro allied, photography, customizing, culture and tourism skills.

Other were trained in cosmetology, ICT, fashion and design among others.

She added that the orientation course programme had successfully imbibed in the youth the spirit of oneness and hardwork.

One of the corp members, Miss Oluwatofunmi Temilade, a graduate of Aston University, who came from United Kingdom to serve her fatherland, said the scheme had provided a rare opportunity for her to have the first hand knowledge of the diverse culture that existed in Nigeria.

“As I am passing through this scheme, it will build me as an individual to do better in my chosen career and in the area of fostering unity among the people that I encounter here in Kogi,” she stated.

Temilade called on the government not to scrap the scheme, saying its importance could not overemphasised especially now that the youth have significant population in the country.

Corps members, Ibrahim Abdulsalman from Abuja, and Isaiah Anthony from Akwa-Ibom, who studied in India, appealed to the federal government and the National Assembly not to scrap the scheme.

They emphasised the the NYSC scheme still remained the most viable and veritable tool of unifying Nigerians with diverse ethnic and cultural groups.

NAN reports that the corps members displayed various cultural troupes in Nigeria such as: Yoruba, Igbo, houaa, Fulani, Efik, Nupe, Sango, Osun, Edo, Urobo, Ibibbio, Eyo, among others

NAN reports that the Corps members carried various placards with inscriptions such as: ”NYSC Puts The Nation First”, ”NYSC Is For The Unity Of Nigeria”, ”Shun Acts That Divide Us’.

Others were:’ ”Unity Is Strength; The Youths Are The Future For The Nation”, ”Together We Build Strong And Prosperous Indivisible Team”, ”Nation Building Is Our Mandate, We Must Strive To Make Nigeria Great”.

”Shun Corruption, Drug Peddling, Drug Abuse”, ”Shun Political Thuggery And Violence”, ”One Love Will Keep Us Together”, among others.