NYSC: Harmeneutics of latest interventions

“Guard well your thoughts when alone and your words when accompanied”.
Roy T. Bennett.

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” Ernest Hemingway.

A tradition exists in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in which the head of that strategic national institution, is specifically charged with making public pronouncements to corpers at the different camps of the NYSC at both the end of the orientation and the passing out parade.

Over the past year, the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Yushua D. Ahmed has kept faith with this well entrenched tradition aforementioned.

An interesting dimension in these messages over the past year since he emerged as the head of the NYSC, is the symbolism of empathy and fatherly sensitivity towards advancing the security, well-being and welfare of the youngsters put in his charge as participants in the annual national service scheme which commenced over half a century ago. The opening quotes by Roy T Benett and Ernest Hemingway are therefore intertwined with the essence of this reflection. This is because in Africa, we are told that the words of elders must of necessity embody words of wisdom.

It is therefore our responsibility in this brief analytical observation to attempt comprehensive HARMENEUTICS of these pieces of speeches by the DG which often enjoy broad-based media coverage going by the telos of those messages and what the youngsters stand to benefit should they meticulously imbibe those wise words and then externalise these lessons encapsulated in these speeches of the head of the NYSC.

I must confess that due to the brevity of my current media intervention, it is not practically feasible to digest the entire body of knowledge encompassed in those speeches which in any event, yours faithfully takes very meticulous interest in keeping press cuttings of these speeches since the last 17 years.

So our focus would be on just a few of these most recent speeches of the DG of the NYSC. It is hoped that our attempt at reaching a clearer HARMENEUTICS of these speeches, will serve as a positive tonic to energise a sense of patriotism and the pursuit of excellence by the hundreds of thousands of the participants of the scheme.

This is because, whatever they can take away whilst on this national service, will significantly contribute towards engineering the kind of future careers that they have been academically formed whilst in their courses of study at the tertiary education institutions.

I remember that in my 100-level Philosophy class, we were brought face to face with a statement made by one of the earliest founding fathers of Philosophy who said that: “We become what we eat.”

This analytical observation will start from the point of the most important then we go down the lanes of other speeches that equally embody wider utilitarian values within themselves.

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We start by looking at what the corpers were told about the hazards of interfering in local politics.

The reason for this warning is that in most places in Nigeria, politics is a very hazardous enterprise and the country has had its own fair share of violent crises instigated by political hirelings and armed thugs who are often recruited by desperate politicians to win elections by crooked means.

A good example of how so dangerous politics is, can be deduced from stories of a few of the corpers engaged in election duties during the last year’s General election.

These corpers were almost lynched over alleged involvement in election rigging which the NYSC authority denied.

So this word of wisdom is coming at a good time because Edo and Ondo states will have their governorship elections and the electoral umpires rely a lot on the assistance of corpers deployed for election duties to undertake some of the core election related assignments. The corpers are actually the field officers deployed by INEC to conduct the election. So if any of the corpers is known to be politically aligned with one of the local political forces, it will be difficult if not impossible for any sort of public trust to be repose on such a politically motivated corper who is drafted to do election duties. The best approach is for corpers to remain absolutely non-partisan and neutral.

So, telling corpers to stay away from local politics is such a nice idea. Secondly, the word of wisdom from the DG urging corpers to embrace entrepreneurship and skills acquisition, is a great idea.

This is because, due to high unemployment in the Country, the best way for Youths to become useful is for them to imbibe skills and get vocational training to empower them with divergent skills so they are in a position to be on their own and become wealth creators rather than wander about in the city centres in search of the elusive white collar jobs.

The DG asked corpers to get use to their environment of posting and shouldn’t be asking for redeployment. This is basically the core aim of NYSC which is all about integration and getting to know the divergent cultures of the different people of Nigeria. Importantly, the DG asked corpers to avoid night journeys and to become very sensitive to their own security. The lesson from here is self explanatory going by the heightened state of insecurity in the country.

From all that have been stated above, if you are reading this, kindly inform a corper that you know to digest the speech of the DG, read at their end of orientation camp so they can very well enjoy their stay and and be safe during their service year.

For the avoidance of semantic doubts, the next few lines are drawn from some of those speeches we have just rendered a comprehensive hermeneutics with the view to getting the corpers to be safe.

For a start, we read that the Director General of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed warned serving corps members against meddling in local politics during their service year.

The DG, while addressing Corp members at the closing ceremony of 2024 Batch ‘A stream 1’ in Sokoto on Wednesday further urged them to accept their posting in good faith.

Discouraging corps members against seeking redeployment, the NYSC boss enjoined them to associate well with their designated communities and contribute to their growth.

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Represented by the Sokoto State NYSC Coordinator, Alhaji Usman Yakubu Yaro, the DG urged corps members to respect the culture and traditions of their host communities and to remain peaceful and resilient while adding value.

He further charged them to take their security seriously.

“Also take your security seriously. Take time to read the instructions in your manual and abide by them accordingly. Your security is our concern, but no one can secure you more than yourself.”

He emphasized the need of developing skills and encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset inside the Scheme.

Ahmed urged corps members to seize the chance to become self-sufficient and become job and wealth creators after their service year.

He thanked the Government of Sokoto State and the Sultanate Council for their unflinching support to the NYSC.

A passing out parade for the 2024, witnessed a successful ceremony in the Camp during the Passing Out Parade for the 2024 Batch ‘A’ Stream 1 Corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Dazigau, Nangere Local Government area of Yobe state.

The NYSC Director General Brigadier-General YD Ahmed has urged the 2024 batch A stream 1 corps members to embody the ideals of the scheme, he implored them to become good and exemplary ambassadors of fostering unity in any society they find themselves.
The Director-General who was represented by the State Coordinator NYSC Yobe, Mrs. Hafsat Yerima gave a stern caution against engaging in criminal activities, and that the Corps members should uphold the good reputation of their families and NYSC at large.

Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed, Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has advised corps members to take advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the Corps.

Ahmed made the call during a working visit to the Permanent Orientation camp of the Anambra Branch of the scheme, on the occasion of their cultural carnival on Saturday.

He said the Federal Government, through the NYSC, had an agreement with corporate organisations to provide zero interest loans to corps members. with bankable proposals.

“This is unprecedented because there’s nowhere you can borrow money and return it without interest.

“So, take advantage of the SAED programme which enables you to be self-reliant,” he said.

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The DG, who was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Dikeora I of NYSC, Anambra, told the corps members to be prepared for wherever they would be posted to for their primary assignment.

He said Anambra was safe and the people accommodating while urgjng them to respect the culture and ways of the people of their host communities.

According to him, do not waste your time asking for relocation out of the state.

“The state is peaceful and the people are loving. Be peaceful, resilient and ready to contribute to the progress of the community you were posted to.

On her part, Mrs Ekene Iruma, the Coordinator of the NYSC in Anambra, said a total of 1,532 Corps Members, comprising 694 males and 838 females, registered for the 2024 Batch ‘A’ Stream 11 in the state.

Iruma said the camp was peaceful and all camp officials worked as a team to achieve success in the Orientation Course.

“I am pleased to inform the DG that since the installation of CCTV cameras and the repair of the collapsed fence, this camp has been enjoying a safe and secure environment.

“The enhanced security measures have contributed to the overall safety and wellbeing of our corps members and staff. Your support, in implementing these improvements, is highly appreciated.

“We cherish your coming to be a blessing to us. As we are basking in the euphoria of your visit, we assure you we will make you proud,” she said.

Conferring the title on the visiting DG, Igwe Joel Egwuonwu of Umuawulu, one of the host communities, said they were pleased with what Ahmed was doing for the scheme.

He prayed for the DG and extended the good wishes of the people of Anambra to him.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 major cultural areas in Nigeria were represented by the 10 platoons who competed in culture displays, egg race, fastest kit-up and other games.

Around November of last year, the Director-General (D-G) of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, had lamented that the scheme has lost many corps members to night journeys, while warning them against such fatal actions.

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Ahmed, at a working visit to the Kaduna State NYSC temporary orientation camp on Tuesday, reminded the corps members the dangers in night journeys, adding that they sometime lead to the loss of lives.

“I have harped on avoiding of night journeys in every NYSC camp and fora I find my self, my first priority is safety of your lives.

“If you take the decision to embark on night journey, remember the dangers associated with it and rethink, your lives are precious to us too.

“Once you are on a journey and realised itis already 5:pm, break up the journey, have a place to sleep and continue the following day,”Ahmed advised.

He said that most of the drivers were not familiar with the roads, which usually causes accident, among other factors like driving when tired.

The director-general also advised the corps members to be security conscious, saying that no one would secure their lives more than they would do so.

Ahmed further advised them to restrict social media to their personal consumption, while tasking them on respect for constituted authorities.

Ahmed also tasked them on continuing with the regimentation they undergone in camp after their service year, adding that it would help them achieve greatness in all their endeavors.

“Uphold the ideals of patriotism, diligence, loyalty, respect for others culture/tradition and self-empowerment while in service and beyond, “he added.

Ahmed commended the camp officials and corps members for their orderliness and regimentation spirit, while restating his administration’s committment in taking the scheme to greater heights.

Earlier, the State NYSC Coordinator, Mr Hassan Taura, explained that the orientation course was designed to mould the corps members into highly disciplined and patriotic youths, capable of leading the country to greater heights.

For that reason, he said, they participate in all the activities in camp which include military drills, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development training, language studies, leadership and martial arts trainings as well as lectures on national topical issues.

Taura, therefore, appealed to the director-general for better operating environment and addressing some challenges faced in the orientation camp like inadequate amenities.

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He, however, thanked him for his positive disposition to the smooth operation of the scheme.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the high point of the event was cultural dance and cash donation to some of the corps members who distinguished themselves in camp activities.

NAN also reports that the corps members, who were of the 2023 batch ‘C’ stream ‘1’, officially began the orientation course on November 7.

*Emmanuel Onwubiko is the head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) and was NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA