THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME 1973 - 2020: EMERGENCE, DEVELOPMENT AND ACHIEVEMENTS UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020: EMERGENCE, DEVELOPMENT AND ACHIEVEMENTS Edited By Okpeh O. Okpeh, Jr. Professor ofHistory and International Studies, Federal University ofLafia & Chris. B.N. Ogbogbo Professor ofHistory, University oflbadan UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY The National Youth Service Corps Scheme, 1973 - 2020: Emergence, Development and Achievements © O. O. Okpeh & C.B.N. Ogbogbo, 2021 ISBN: 978-978-993-414-5 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this publication may be reproduccd, retained or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any form of information storage or retrieval System, without the prior written permission of the Copyright owners. Published by LANUV Enterprises 38, Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. IV UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication v List of Tables and Figures vi Table of Contents ix Notes on Contributors xiii Foreword xv Introduction xviii SECTION ONE: BACKGROUND Chapter One The Nigerian Background CBN Ogbogbo 3 Chapter Two The Idea of National Service: Global Perspectives Okpeh Okpeh Jnr 17 Chapter Three The Establishment of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme in Nigeria Jacinta Chiamaka Nwaka 45 Chapter Four Organisational Structure of the NYSC Fidelis Egbe 75 SECTION TWO: STRUCTURE POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES Chapter Five The Army and the Character of NYSC Bern Japhet Audu 117 ix UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Chapter Six NYSC and the Policy of Posting and Primary Assignments Patrick Ukase 133 Chapter Seven Programmes and Activities of National Youth Service Corps Ayodele Samuel Abolorunde 161 Chapter Eight Groups and Societies in the NYSC Scheine Umar Aminu Yandaki 193 Chapter Nine The NYSC Community Development Service: Its Nature and Impact Pascal Onumonu 239 SECTION THREE: GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND TRENDS Chapter Ten Transformations in NYSC David Imbua 271 Chapter Eleven Leadership and the Growth of NYSC since 1973 Okpeh O. Okpeh, Jr., Godwin O. Odeh 307 Chapter Twelve Trends in National Youth Service Corps Uniform, 1973-2020 Zara Emmanuel Kwaghe 351 x UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Chapter Thirteen NYSC and Sports/Games Activities in and Sports/Games Activities in Nigeria Since 1973 Oladipo, Folusho Adewumi 395 Chapter Fourteen The Nature and Impact of National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camps Kenneth T. Azaigba 433 SECTION FOUR: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Chapter Fifteen The NYSC and National Integration in Nigeria, 1973-2020 Evelyn Onwaniba 475 Chapter Sixteen NYSC and National Elections in Nigeria Albert Onobhayedo 495 Chapter Seventeen NYSC and Manpower Development in Nigeria, 1973-2019 Olisa Muojama 523 Chapter Eighteen The NYSC and Youth Development in Nigeria Maryam Hamza 561 Chapter Nineteen National Youth Service Corps and the Labour Market Emma-Lawson Hassan 597 xi UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY SECTION FOUR: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS Chapter Twenty The Transmuting Challenges of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme Chris S. Orngu Chapter Twenty-One The NYSC Beyond the Twenty-first Century Godwin O. Odeh Index UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Chapter Seven PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS Ayodele Samuel Abolorunde Department ofHistory University oflbadan Ibadan, Nigeria Introduktion The need for the formulation and Implementation of youth oriented programmes remains one of the objectives of all governments globally. This is necessary when one considers the role of young people in the nation-building project. This importance, without any doubt, determines the extent of success a nation will attain in the midst of myriads of challenges which accompany the building of a nation. Since nation-building project is an unending adventure, nations all over the world understand the significance of the inputs youths, in their respective nations, can inject to the advancement of their countries in their quest to assume important positions within the committee of nations. Keen observers of Nigeria's social history have argued that the formation of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1973 after the Nigerian civil war was a novel idea which took the African continent and the world at large by storm. They contend that the deployment of the officials of the .American Peace Corps and British Overseas Voluntary Service to Nigeria for the development of the country's educational sector during the first decade of Nigeria's independence1 reveals the noble role youths can play beyond the frontiers of their nations. In Africa, the positioning of youths in Strategie positions for viable nation-building project was not new prior to the Asein, S . 0 . 1993. Call to Service Twenty Years o fthe National Youth Service Corps Scheme 19731993 Ibadan: Sam Bookm an p.15 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY formation of Nigeria's NYSC in 1973. In Tanzania, for instance, the TANU Youth League started its campaign from 1962 for the formation of Youth Service until the National Service was established onlOthJuly, 1963.2 While one is tempted to agree with the assertion that the formation of NYSC was a novel one, one can easily discern the novelty which enveloped the formation of Nigeria's NYSC in 1973 from two perspectives. First, while the formation of NYSC was designed to facilitate national integration, that of the British and the Americans were designed as instruments of imperialists' penetration of the newly independent African States. Second, the Tanzanian National Service served the purpose of Cold War ideology while that of Nigeria was embedded in the post-civil war reconstruction of the country. These two scenarios reveal the uniqueness of NYSC as the stabilizing factor of the Nigerian project. This argument aligns with Asein's position that the American and the British Youth Service penetrated the African continent in Order to register their presence in the newly independent States of Africa.3 Although studies on the NYSC are quite diverse4, apart from Obasa and Itumo’s works which examine the mobilization of youths in relation to nation building, much of these studies have not comprehensively interrogated the impact of the NYSC programmes and activities on Nigeria's nation-building prospect.5 2Kila F. 1980. "Youth Mobilization fo r National Development: The Tanzanian Experience" in National Service for the 80s Report on the Proceedings of the W orkshop on the National Youth Service Corps Scheine Kano, Kano State. 26lh-28“'May/1980, pp.34-35 3 Asein, S.O. 1993. Call to Service Twenty Years o f the National Youth Service Corps Scheme 19731993.. . p.15 4 See for example, Asein, S.O. 1993. Call to Service Twenty Years o fthe National Youth Service Corps Scheme 19731993... p.l5;01om ajeye, J. 1 980 .11 The National Youth Service Scheme and the Fourth National Development Plan ", in National Service for the 80s Report on the Proceedings of the Workshop on the National Youth Service Corps Scheme Kano, Kano State. 26*-28* May, 1980, pp.16-19; Emenako, G. Ed. 1986. 12 Years o f National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria: 1973-1985 Lagos: National Youth Service Corps Directorate Headquarters; Momoh H.B. 1992. Imperatives o f National Service in the 90s. A Collection o f Speeches Vol. 1 Abuja: National Directorate Headquarters National Youth Service Corps; Enegwea G and Umoden, G. 1993. NYSC: Twenty Years o f National Service Abuja and Lagos: National Youth Service Corps Directorate Headquarters and Gbajumo Publishing Company Limited, 1993; And Asein, S.O. 1993. Call to Service Twenty Years ofthe National Youth Service Corps Scheme 19731993.. . 1 6 2 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY This is important because a focused enquiry into the activities and programmes of the scheme will x-ray how impactful the scheme's roles have been on the Nigerian state as well as the relevance of the scheme in the midst of myriad of challenges confronting Contemporary Nigeria. This chapter makes a vital contribution to social history of Nigeria and moves discussion on Nigeria's social history in new directions. The chapter is divided into six sections which include the introduction, the Nigerian state and post-independence crises, 1960-1970, relevance of NYSC programmes and activities to the stability of Nigeria, 1973-2003, the impact of NYSC programmes on national development, 1980- 2010, the Contemporary realities of the Nigerian state and challenges of NYSC programme implementation, 2011-2018 and conclusion. The Nigerian State and Post-Independence Crises, 1960-1970 The eventual amalgamation of the Nigerian state by the British in 1914 was a product of the lumping together of all ethnic groups that were in the territory that later became Nigeria. These various ethnic groups with their high degree of autonomy co-existed among themselves before contact was made with Europe. This co- existence was marked by sovereignty and non-interference in their economic and political decisions. The British imperialists blatantly disregarded the socio-cultural differences of these various ethnic groups by failing to create a channel for cultural, social and political interactions among the people of a territory they claimed to have amalgamated.6 This conscious effort to keep the country apart along ethnic lines shows that the British only embarked on the administrative amalgamation of Nigeria to support their imperial presence in the country. The end of the Second World War in 1945 and subsequent pressure on the colonialists by the nationalists to grant the country its independence was accompanied by ethnic suspicion PROGRAMMES AND ACriVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 6 3 : Obasa, P.K. 1995. NYSC A Nation's Attempt at Mobilizing the Youths Ilorin: M arket Development Service Lim ited; And Itum o, V.N. 2003. NYSC, Corps Members The Hope o f the Nation A Book on NYSC, Youths and Nation Building Abuja; Kaylon International Limited. 'Agu, U. 1995. NYSC and the Nigerian UnityA Critical Appraisal Enugu: A cenaPublishers UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY among the various groups that make up Nigeria. This lack of ethnic affinity in colonial Nigeria made the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to assert that amalgamation had failed to bring Nigerians together without any sense of citizenship that sustained togetherness of Nigerians unlike that of the Europeans/The seed of mutual suspicion sowed by the imperialists through amalgamation of the Nigerian peoples without consultation further aggravated the tension on the eve of the country's independence. One of such scenarios was the divergent opinion of the country's nationalist in 1953 during a debate at the Federal House of Representatives in Lagos, where Anthony Enahoro, Action Group representative in the House, moved a motion that the country should assume the Status of seif- government by 1956.8 The motion which met stiff the Opposition of northem delegatesin the House snowballed into Kano riots of 1953 against the visiting A.G politicians from the South as these riots almost led to the complete polarization of North and South even before the country's independence.9 After the attainment of independence in 1960, the country lacked the semblance of unity and sustained nationhood. These ethnic divisions crept into the political space as the three major political parties such as Northem Peoples Congress (N.P.C.), National Council for Nigerian Citizens (N.C.N.C) and Action Group (A.G.) were formed along ethnic lines without any emblem of pan-Nigeria outlook.10 By 1964, the federal elections conducted were 7 Awolowo, O. Path to Nigerian Freedom London: Cited in Fw atshak, S.U and Ayuba, J.M. 2014. 'Amalgamation Discourses in the "Lugardian House" During Nigeria's First Centenary' S.U. Fwatshak and O. Akinwumi Eds. The House that ' 'Lugard Built' 1 Perspectives on Nigeria's First Centenary: The Pains, the Gains and the Agenda for the Future Jos: Historical Society of Nigeria and Jos University Press Limited, p.5 * Fwatshak , S.U and Ayuba, J.M. 2014. 'Amalgamation Discourses in the "Lugardian House"... pp.7-8 9 Fwatshak , S.U and Ayuba, J.M. 2014. 'Amalgamation Discourses in the "Lugardian House"...p.8 10See, Sklar, R.L, 'Contradictions in Nigerian Political System' Journal o f Modem African Studies Vol.3, N o.2,1965, pp.201-213. See alco, Sklar, R.L. 1963. Nigerian Political Parties Princeton: N.J. Princeton University Press. These two works were cited from Fafowora, 0 . 1990. Pressure Group and Foreign Policy A Comparative Study o f the British Attitudes and Policy Towards Secessionist Moves in Congo (1960-1963) and Nigeria (1966-1969) Ibadan: Heinemann Educational Books Limited. 164 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY accompanied by political crises caused by perceived unequal distribution of power and resources among the political parties which represented Southern and northern Nigeria.11 The political imbroglio of the First Republic especially in 1964 prepared the ground for the military intervention in the country's politics on the 15* of January, 1966. The January, 1966 coup was given ethnic interpretation and was called Igbo coup. This was because the leaders of the coup were officers of Igbo extraction while the victims such as Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, Tafawa Balewa, the country's Prime Minister and other affected politicians were both of northern, south-south and south-west extractions. This interpretation cannot be dismissed with a wave of hand because sorne of the victims of the January coup were southerners of non-Igbo extraction. For instance, Chief S.L. Akintola, Western Region Premier and Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the then Finance Minister of the country were all affected. It is plausible to state that this interpretation that the coup was an Igbo coup was a product of seed of discord sown mto the Nigerian project through the amalgamation of various ethnic groups of an area that later became Nigeria. This bürden of mutual suspicion became an albatross for the country in its post-independence history. The tension necessitated by the coup was further exacerbated by the emergence of Qeneral Aguyi Ironsi, the most senior officer in the Nigerian Army at that time and who was of Igbo extraction.12 The January 1966 coup created a feeling of hysteria in the North, a feeling which precipitated the July, 1966 coup that led to the gruesome murder of General Ironsi, the country's Head of State and Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, Governor of the Western Region at the latter's official residence in Ibadan.13 With the murder of the Western Region Governor and the Head Fafowora, 0 . 1990. Pressure Group and Foreign Policy A Comparative Study o fthe British Attitudes and Policy Towards Secessionist Moves in Congo (1960-1963) and Nigeria (1966- 1969) Ibadan: Heinem ann Educational Books Limited.pp.18-19. “Ayodele, S. Abolorunde. 2019. 'Nigerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967- 1970' West Bohemian Historical Review Vol. IX No 12019, p.94. ' Ayodele, S. Abolorunde .2019. 'Nigerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967- 1970 '...p.94 PROGRAMMES AND ACITVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 6 5 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY of State, General Yakubu Gowon, a northemer emerged as the Head of State as this made the political atmosphere in the country to be sufficiently charged such that lives and properties of the Igbo people in the North were destroyed while some reprisal attacks took place in the East.14 As tension continued to mount between the eastem and northern regions of the country on the one hand, personality clash continued between General Yakubu Gowon, the Head of State and Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Eastem Region Governor, who saw himself as the defender of the people of eastem region, on the other hand. Security Situation in the country deteriorated such that Ojukwu's plan of secession from the rest of the country was stifled by the creation of twelve States based on the initiative of the Gowon regime in May, 1967. The creation of twelve States left Ojukwu with no choice than to declare the Republic of Biafra as a secessionist region on 27* May, 1967. The declarations by these two gladiators led to the outbreak of the Nigerian civil war in 1967. Efforts to bring the war to an end in 1968 was spearheaded by Britain as the British government sent a powerful delegation which comprised of Lord Fenner Brockway, a member of the British Parliament, and James Griffiths, a former Colonial Secretary for possible ceasefire by December, 1968.15 By 1969, the British leadership thought of creating a platform for meaningful negotiation that would bring peace to Nigeria.16 The success of the initiative further propelled the British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson to take over the peace initiative between Gowon and Ojukwu in March 1969.17 Despite the accusation of genocidal activities "O k oro , 1 .2014. 'Ndi Igbo of the South-East: Centenary Glim pses' S.U. Fw atshak and O. Akinw um i Eds. The House that 'Lugard Built' Perspectives on Nigeria's First Centenary: The Pains, the Gains and the Agenda for theFuturejos: Jos University Press, p.94 15 Anon: U K M Ps to See Gowon, Daily Times of December 20, 1968, p.16 as cited in Abolorunde. A.S. 2019. N igerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967-1970'... lsAnon: Shephered Teils U K House of Lords Daily Times of February, 1969, p.12 as cited in Abolorunde. A.S. 2019. N igerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967- 1 9 7 0 '. . .17Anon: W ilson Ends Final Talks New Nigerian o f M arch 3"1, 1969, p .l as cited in Abolorunde. A.S. 2019. N igerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967-1970'... 1 6 6 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY against the Nigerian government through the Biafran Propaganda and foreign commentators, the Nigerian government, based on its quest for peace, yielded to pressure from Britain as it allowed a team of international observers to investigate the state of things in the country .18 In order to ensure the success of their peace efforts, both the defunct Organization of African Unity (O.A.U) and Britain intensified their pressure on the warring factions for peace.19The peace effort later yielded result when the Nigerian government assured the British and other international stakeholders that the Igbos will be given the same right and Privileges as it had been granting to other Nigerians provided the secessionists were ready for peace without prior conditions.20The readiness of both the Nigerian state and Biafra to embrace peace necessitated the eventual surrender of the Biafran troops on 12lh January, 1970 as the Nigerian government declared the slogan of 'No victor no vanquish'. Relevance of NYSC Programmes and Activities to the Stability of Nigeria, 1973-2003 The emergence of the NYSC as a scheme cannot be insulated from the history of the Nigerian civil war which lasted for 30 months. The end of the war further entrenched ethnic suspicion, unhealthy rivalry, mutual distrust, religious bigotry and tribal intolerance.21This unhealthy socio-political atmosphere was one of the factors that compelled the federal military government to sustain its slogan of 'no victor no vanquish' through the policy of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation, the three (Rs). The whole essence of this was to foster unity which, in the 'See, Sm ith K.E. 2014. The UKand Genocide Research as cited in Ayodele, S. A boloru nde. 2019. N igerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967-1970'... ” See, Anon: O jukwu Tum ed Dow n W ilson's Invitation Daily Sketch of 1" April, 1969, p .l. See also, Anon: W ilson's Second Note to Ojukwu New Nigerian of 2"J April, 1969. Both papers were cited from Ayodele, S. A boloru nde. 2019. N igerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967-1970'... " Anon: W ilson Report Back to Comm ons M oming Post of 3"1 April, 1969, p .l cited in Ayodele, S. Abolorunde . 2019. N igerian Civil W ar and Britain's Peace Initiative, 1967-1970'... n N YSC Year Book 1991 as extracted from NYSC A rchives Directorate Headquarters, Abuja Lagos: Gbajum o Publishing Company Limited, p.23 PROGRAMMES AND ACITVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 6 7 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY estim ation of the military, was capable of ensuring developmental strides in the country.22 23 One of the strategies adopted to sustain the three (Rs) was the muting of an idea of youth scheme that would sustain unity among Nigerians of the post-civil war era and future generations. The activation of this intention was first demonstrated by the Gowon regime during the 1972 National Day Broadcast where Gowon stated that: The Federal Military Government recognises that the future of this country lies in the hands of the youth of today. It is, therefore, prepared to ensure that it provides the physical, mental and spiritual environment in which those young persons can grow up to be worthy citizens of this great Nation. The government proposes to establish a compulsory National Youth Service Corps, the aim of which is to bring together our qualified young men and women and to inculcate them a sense of discipline, dedication, national pride and consciousness through nationally directed disciplined training, not necessarily in the Armed Forces but serving the nation in any way and capacity for a short period in their life time before settling down to their chosen 23career. The intention of the Federal Military Government to actualise the dream of fostering post-war unity in the country was further demonstrated at an academic gathering during the 8th Convocation Ceremony of Ahmadu Bello University in December, 1972, where the Head of State articulated the 1 6 8 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 22 See the interview granted by the former military Governor of Ogun State, Navy Captain Oladeinde Joseph to Sunday Times of October 20, 1991, p .l l Extract from National Day Broadcast of General Yakubu Gowon, Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Culled from the Daily Sketch of October 3rd, 1972, p.4. 23 Extract from National Day Broadcast of General Yakubu Gowon, Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Culled from the Daily Sketch of October 3"1, 1972, p.4. The Extract was lifted from Asein, 0.1993. Call to Service a book extracted from NYSC Archives, Abuja, p.21 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY intention to mobilize Nigerian youths for national Service.24 In Order to actualise the formation of the NYSC, the Federal Government in 1972 further deepened its relationship with the Committee of Vice Chancellors which had earlier called for a one-year national Service scheme for Nigerian undergraduates in 1969.25By May 22,1973, just six weeks before the call up date of July 2, 1973, the Federal Government enacted a decree which endorsed the formation of NYSC.26 The decree stated that: The Federal Military Government hereby decree as follows: There is hereby established a scheme to be known as the National Youth Service Corps with a view to the proper encouragement and development of communities among youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity the Service corps shall be charged with all such functions as pertain to the objectives of the Service corps.27 From the above, it was clear that the decree mandated all Nigerian graduates to participate in a one year national Service. The decree which established the scheme initially covered only Nigerian youths not more than 30 years of age and who were graduates of Nigerian Universities, while those Nigerian graduates more than 30 years of age and Nigerian graduates from the Universities abroad were excluded from the scheme which called up about 2, 757 corps members from the existing five Universities at that time, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University O.A.U), Ahmadu Bello University, University of Lagos, University of Ibadan and University of PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 6 9 " Asein, O .1993. Call to Service.. .p.21 Enegwea, G and Umoden, G.1993. NYSC Twenty Years o f National Service Lagos: Gbajum o Publishing Company Limited p.9 25 Enegwea, G and Um oden, G.1993. NYSCTwenty Years o f National Service.. .p .l 7 "A gu, U. 1995. NYSC and the Nigerian Unity A Critical Appraisal... p. 30 ^Enegwea, G and Um oden, G.1993. NYSC Twenty Years o f National Service... p. 17 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Nigeria, Nsukka.28 A total amount of six million naira was earmarked for the take-off of the scheme in 1973.29 When the formation of the scheme came into the public domain, Nigerians, especially prospective graduates of 1972/73 session and undergraduates across the country's universities, protested against the scheme as they saw it as a strategy capable of preventing them from settling down early enough to their chosen careers and this in their estimation delayed the anticipated glorious future.30 As the federal government faced intensified Opposition against the scheme, it was able to demonstrate the readiness to kick Start it with the aim of rebuilding the country's unity that was shattered by the post- independence crises which the civil war was part of. The plausibility of the scheme in the estimation of the Gowon regime was to correct the foundational problem of ethnic suspicion and disunity which accompanied the emergence of the Nigerian state as construed by the colonialists. It is salient to state that the NYSC programmes and activities are anchored upon four major pillars, namely: (i) The mobilization and three-week Orientation of corps members. (ii)The Place of Primary Assignment (PPA); (iii) Community Development Scheme (CDS); and (iv) Passing out Parade (PP). Despite the huge logistical bürden placed on the shoulders of the federal government in mobilizing the graduates, huge population of Nigerian graduates who were ready to participate in the scheme after the removal of age restriction did not discourage the Nigerian government from shouldering the scheme's huge financial bürden. Nigerian graduates within and outside Nigeria were graciously allowed to participate in the scheme as the huge financial commitment used in sustaining the scheme continued unabated. For instance, the annual increase of I / U THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 2aAgu, U. 1995. NYSC and theNigerian Unity A Critical Appraisal.. .pp.29-30 MOjo, F. 1977. Evaluation Report on Four Years ofthe National Youth Service Corps Scheme as docum ented by N ational Youth Service Corps Directorate Headquarters Lagos, p .l l . Report Retrieved from the N YSC Directorates' Archives Abuja, p. 6. 30 Agu, U. 1995. NYSC and the Nigerian Unity A Critical Appraisal., .p.31 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY those mobilized for the orientation programmes increased from 25.5 percent in 1974 to 40.3 percent in 1977.31 The shouldering of this financial bürden by the Federal Military Government reveals the extent of its commitment to the country's unity. The swearing-in ceremony was usually followed by orientation course organised by the State Coordinator, Camp Director, Camp Commandant and other experts in various fields.32 Orientation courses organized for the mobilized graduates include drill, Man 'O' War activities, physical training, language study, cultural activities, lectures, religious activities etc.33 The drills were usually handled by military and police instructors while instructors for the .eadership training took care of non-drill activities. By the 1980s, die orientation programme was organized such that camp : ommandants were invited to pre-orientation course briefings ■ . hile the contents were also adjusted to address the emerging Problems inherent in the orientation programme.34 Düring the 1980s, the scheme, in its bid to surmount the myriad of problems :onfronting it, further organized workshops and paper presentations by scholars, experts, policy analysts and rureaucrats that cut across various fields.35 This strategy had far reaching impact on the orientation programmes in the 1980s as the NYSC Directorate earmarked one out of the three-week orientation for Professional : nentation for the categories of corps members who served as teachers, doctors, lawyers, pharmacists and engineers with great emphasis on teaching.36The whole essence of this strategy, in the 1980s, was to equip the corps members with ideas through 7 —.anako, G.E Ed. 1986.12 Years o f National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria, 1973-1985 Lagos: zonal Youth Service Corps Directorate Headquarters, p.32. Book extracted from NYSC Ctrectorate, Abuja. > o ,F . 1977. Evaluation Report on Four Years ofthe National Youth Service Corps Scheme.. .p.6 J'5ee, Composite Policy Document of NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 2013, p.40 * See, General Policy Guideline for NYSC Orientation Courses as Prepared by Planning •zsearch and Statistics Department, Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, p .l 7. 1 See, Report on the Proceedings of the Workshop on the National Youth Service Corps M 'e n e in the 80s Kano, Kano State. 26-28“’ May, 1980. ’ See. Report on the Proceedings of the Workshop on the National Youth Service Corps Sz-jeme in the 80s Kano, Kano State. 26-28“’ May, 1980. PROGRAMMES AND ACnVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 ^ 1 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY workshop and Orientation programmes with the aim of enhancing Service delivery during their period of one year Service to the nation. The huge commitment of the scheine through the orientation programmes of corps members, was, however, stifled by the economic difficulties which emanated from the collapse of crude oil prices in the 1980s as income generated from crude oil export feil from 15 billion naira in 1980 to 5.1 billion in 1982 with huge debt and depleted foreign reserves during this period.37 Due to the economic difficulties of the 1980s, the bürden of mobilizing the Nigerian graduates in 1983/84 session was reduced through the restoration of age limit while holders of N.C.E and those who had previously served in the military and paramilitary were exempted.38 As policies and programmes of youth mobilization into the NYSC were positioned in the 1980s due to economic hardship which also affected the economic well-being of the Nigerian graduates after Service year, the federal govemment, through NYSC, devised a strategy of ameliorating the high rate of unemployment in that decade through the injection of Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) into the three weeks' orientation programme of the mobilization exercise.39 The EDP was further strengthened when in 1986 the scheme established a synergy with National Directorate of Employment (N.D.E). This institutional collaboration with N.D.E created awareness for corps members on the need for self- employment after Service year.40 Due to the perennial economic difficulties of the 1990s, the scheme abrogated the provision of 1 7 2 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 37See Handbook for Corps M em bers on Teaching Assignm ents Orientation Lecture Series 1980-1984 as extracted from NYSC Archives Abuja. “ See, O lukoshi, A. 1995. 'The Political Econom y of Structural A djustm ent Program m e' in S. Adejum obi and A. Momoh. Eds. The Political Economy o f Nigeria Under Military Rule, 1984- 1993 Harare: Civil Liberty Organization See also, Ayodele, S. Aborisade (now Abolorunde)..2018. 'Nigeria's Foreign Reserves and the Challenges of Development, 1960- 2010' WestBohemian Historical Review Vol. V IIIN ol. ”Agu, U. 1995. NYSCand the Nigerian UnityA Critical Appraisal., .p.31 “ Momoh, H.B. 1992. Imperatives o f the National Service in the 90s A Collection o f Speeches Vol. 1 Abuja: National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, p.76. UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY housing for some of its staff, while officers from level 12 and above were allowed to have access to housing facilities.41 The housing policy of the 1990s compelled State Directors to explore the possibility of acquiring quarters for eligible officers from various state governments as well as the Federal Ministry of Works.42 In his speech, Towards Effective Corps Mobilization-Guidelines for the 1990s, Col. Hafiz, the then Director General of the Scheme, argues that the scheme in the 1990s had put in place a new strategy of mobilization and deployment which enhanced the mobilization process through proper restructuring of the NYSC bureaucracy.43 At the dawn of the new millennium, the duration for the orientation exercise which followed the mobilization was adjusted to a period of four weeks depending on how much was available for the entire exercise.44 The scenario of the orientation programme marked a departure from the hitherto rigid three weeks orientation. The new millennium ushered in a flexible policy position of 2-4 weeks' orientation exercise. The reason for this flexibility was unconnected with the emerging challenges which confronted the scheme and the need to confront these challenges through additional programmes during the orientation exercise warranted the adjustment. This strategy became necessary in 2003 the year the NYSC clocked 30 years when the scheme discovered that corps members faintly implement what they were taught during and after the Service year.45 PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVTriES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 7 3 “O khaikhabor, A. 2002. NYSC Priority Redefined Okigwe: jane-m os Com m unication A Division of Softlinks Organisation p.13 'Ntumo, V.N. 2003. NYSC, Corps Members The Hope ofthe Nation A Book on NYSC, Youths cndNation Building.. .p.3 ~ 5ee, Governm ent Publication as extracted from NYSC Archives, Abuja on the Report on --.e Post-Orientation Course Service Year 1973-74 Lagos: National Youth Service Corps Cabinet Office, Lagos, 1974, p.10 * Obasa, P.K. 1980. 'The Concept ofMotivating the Youths' in National Service for the 80s 7 eport on the Proceedings of the W orkshop on the National Youth Service Corps Schem e san o , Kano State. 26th-28lhMay, 1980, p.14. * Obasa, P.K. 1980. 'The Concept ofMotivating the Youths'. . .p.14 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY The three-week Orientation programme was usually followed by primary assignments for the corps members. Since 1973 when the scheme commenced, corps members were always mandated to carry out their primary assignments in severa) govemments departments, corporations, schools and few private firms as largely determined by the requests of these institutions.46 The primary assignment for corps members has never been optional due to its legal backing as enshrined in decree 24 of 1973 which mandated the NYSC Directorate to take into consideration the qualifications of corps members before posting them to places of primary assignments. As expected, corps members, right from the inception of the scheme in 1973, indulge in lobbying for deployment to preferred location, although this is hardly granted by the Directorate, which always ensures that corps members were treated well by their employers. To further strengthen this policy, the 1980s, the scheme put in place rigid structures of discipline which mandates corps members to comport themselves in their places of primary assignments as well as their host communities.47 One noticeable change in the primary assignment programme of the 1980s was the readiness of the Directorate of the scheme to award prizes to corps members who distinguish themselves in their places of primary assignments, as well as their host communities.48 Parts of the discipline which attracted commendation during that period was the demonstration of readiness by corps members to remain in their places of primary assignments and can only leave with the permission of their employer while defaulters were denied their monthly allowance, in addition to other sanctions.49 “ O basa,P.K . 1995. Attempt at Mobilizing the Youths'.. .p.55 “ Momoh, H.B. 1992. Imperatives o f the National Service in the 90s A Collection o f Speeches Vol. l ...p .2 7 “ See, Momoh, H.B. 1992. Imperatives ofthe National Service in the 90s A Collection o f Speeches Vol. 1.. .p.29. See also, Publications o f National Youth Service Corps Inspectors Manual Abuja: National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 1998, p.64 49 Agunbiade, S.A. 1993. The National Youth Service Corps: A Challenge to Government, Youths and the Nigerian Society A Study for the Nigerian Institute o f Social and Economic Research NISER, Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria, p.39 174 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY By 1991, Corps Members' Forum was established as a platform for corps members to meet regularly and discuss issues affecting them as well as map out strategies for national development and their resolutions were transmitted to the three tiers of govemments through the Support of the NYSC Directorate Headquarters.50 The scheme also made NYSC Presidential Honours and Award an annual exercise in December 1992 while the then Head of State, General Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida directed that winners should be selected purely on merit rather than on state basis.51 The annual award strategy by the scheme further enhanced the quality of Service delivery of the corps members in their places of primary assignments. Although the place of primary assignment of the scheme is compulsory for all corps members, the motivational strategies of the annual Presidential award ensured the corps members effectiveness in the discharge of their duties to the nation.52 The annual Presidential award was not the only motivational strategy adopted by the scheme for corps members in the 1990s, the Directorate also intensified its monitoring and inspections of corps members' activities and their performances in their places of primary assignments. The '.eadership of the scheme also impressed it on the employers of corps members the importance of good working condition of young graduates serving their fatherland.53 The disciplinary procedure of the NYSC Directorate in the 1990s further promoted productivity among corps members in their places of primary assignments as the Directorate further placed emphasis on withholding the discharge certificate of erring corps members and the extension of period of Service or other means depending on the nature of the offence committed ' Asein, S.O. 1993. Call to Service Twenty Years o f the National Youth Service Corps S J iem e.. .p.69 Asein, S.O. 1993. Call to Service Twenty Years o f the National Youth Service Corps 5Jiem e...p.70 jS e e , National Youth Service Corps Composite Policy Docum ent, 2013, p.55 “ Agu, U. 1995. NYSC and theNigerian UnityA Critical Appraisal.. .p.62 Anon: Mobilization o f Corps Members fo r Community Development N YSC Year Book 2C* Anniversary Edition, 1973-1993. PROGRAMMES AND ACTTVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 7 5 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY 176 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 by the corps member.54 At the dawn of the millennium, the purpose of primary assignment as an important aspect of the scheme assumed greater importance as the inspection of corps members in their places of primary assignment was intensified through first, second, third and fourth quarters inspection. Inspection reports on corps members were usually forwarded to the Directorate Headquarters through the Inspectorate Department at Abuja.55 The most crucial aspect of the NYSC programmes which facilitates the stability of the Nigerian state in terms of unity is the Community Development Service (C.D.S). When the NYSC scheme started in 1973, the Community Development Service hitherto known as the secondary assignment usually took place for three weeks during Christmas holidays.^Towards the end of the 1970s, the secondary assignment as it was known then was renamed the Easter Community Development Exercise, while the program m e was restructured from Com m unity Development Programme to all year round Community Development Service by the Directorate in 1987.57 From the 1980s, the CDS programme had expanded in scope beyond rural development as corps members were involved in health education and other social responsibilities thereby increasing the scope of interaction with the host communities.58 In the same vein, the CDS was extended to farming in line with the quest for self-sufficiency in food production since independence.59 Corps members who wished to take to farming after Service year were encouraged through the farming programme.60 54 Agu, U. 1995. NYSC and the Nigerian Unity A Critical Appraisal.. .pp.62-63 “Onwere, C. 1992. National Youth Service Corps Programme and National Integration in Nigeria, Being a PhD Submitted to the Department of International and Comparative Education Institute of Education, University of London, p.102 56 Anon: Mobilization of Corps Members for Community Development NYSC Year Book 20* Anniversary Edition, 1973-1993. 57 Anon: Mobilization of Corps Members for Community Development NYSC Year Book 20* Anniversary Edition, 1973-1993. 58 Anon: Mobilization of Corps Metnbers for Community Development NYSC Year Book 20* Anniversary Edition, 1973-1993. wEnegwea, G and Umoden, G.1993. NYSC Twenty Years of National Service.. .p.61 “See, National Youth Service Corps Inspectors Manual as extracted from the NYSC Archives, Abuja. Abuja: Corps Inspectorate Department, National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 1998, p.63 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY By the 1990s, the capacity of the scheme through its CDS Programme was enhanced through the establishment of agro- based industries as well as feed mill industry in Ipaja, Lagos State and a Garri Processing Factory in Afon Kwara State.61 The Rice Mill in Ezeiko, Anambra was also commissioned while a shoe factory was also established in Edo State. In the last quarters of 1992, tailoring factory was opened in Minna for corps members to produce their uniforms.62 From the foregoing, it could be argued that the philosophical underpinnings of the CDS Programme which mandated corps members to internet with members of rural communities with the strategy of exposing them to customs, traditions and overall sociological Orientations of the host communities also instilled in them orientation of self-sufficiency for the overall growth of the nation.63 The whole essence was to transmute these cultural values to capacity building of the corps members who were positioned as major contributors to the country's socio-economic development. Towards the end of the 20lh Century, the CDS Programme of the scheme introduced reward System. The reward System was coordinated by Zonal Inspectors who in the late 1990s collated the data on projects and Services rendered in their Local Government Areas for processing by the State Secretariats and NYSC vetting Committee at state level.64 The State Committee was responsible for picking the best three CDS projects per state which were forwarded to the Directorate Headquarters in Abuja for final selection at the national level after thorough verification of physical projects which emanated from the CDS.65 At the dawn of the millennium, the CDS programme was divided into three: Traditional Community Development (TCD) “See, Composite Policy Document of NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 2013, pp.66-67 “ Emenako, G.E Ed. 1986.12 Years o f National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria, 1973-1985... p.19 “Obasa,P.K. 1995. NYSCA Nations Attempt atMobilizing the Youth.. .p.60 “See, National Youth Service Corps Inspectors Manual as extracted from the NYSC Archives, Abuja. Abuja: Corps Inspectorate Department, National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 1998, p.37 “ Interview granted by Roseline Uloma Ekeh, a former Corps Member who served in Ekpoma, Edo State via a telephone conversation in Lagos on the 18lh of September, 2020 23 Years PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 ^ 7 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY in which corps members were dedicated to the execution of projects and programmes that improved the living conditions of host communities; the Year Round Community Development (YRCD) which enabled corps members to embark on personal developmental projects in their host communities; and Collaborative Community Development Project (CCDP) which enabled the NYSC to collaborate with governmental and non- govemmental organisations which had interests in the scheme through the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), where corps members were exposed to capacity building based on the projects executed through the collaboration“ The Passing Out Parade (POP) is usually the last programme of the NYSC scheme. Düring the first two decades of the scheme, corps members were usually gathered for a passing out parade in order to receive the certificate for national Service.67 The POP, during the first two decades, commenced with debriefing of corps members as they were also allowed to narrate and assess what was gained during the Service year. In the 1990s, the programmes of the POP were extended to encourage corps members to make suggestions to the Directorate on how best the scheme can be improved upon.68 During this period, the scheme further added candour to the POP through the taking of roll call of corps members who had successfully completed their Service year.69 The awards wert given to outstanding corps members during the Service year Corps members who had impacted lives of the people of theü host communities through the erection of an extra-ordinaiy projects were honoured at the state level while their names wer« “Interview granted by Roseline Uloma Ekeh, a former Corps Member who served ir Ekpoma, Edo State via a telephone conversation in Lagos on the 18,hof September, 2020 2: Years "Em enako, G.E Ed. 1986.12 Years o f National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria, 1973-1985.. .p.19 “ Interview by Dr Mohammed Hassan Mohammed, Senior Officer of Public Servici Institute of Nigeria on the 10* of August, 2020. The Interviewee served in Taraba Stati during the 2005/2006 Session. 40+ “ Interview granted by Mrs Bunmi Morgridge, Assistant Director, Ministry of Informatior and Culture on the 10“’ of August, 2020 in Abuja. The Interviewee served in Anambra Stat< during the 1985/1986 Session. Age: 50+ 178 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY subsequently forwarded to the national secretariat for consideration for national award. The Impact of NYSC Programmes on National Development, 1980-2010 The impact of NYSC programmes and activities cannot be over emphasized. One fundamental impact of the scheme is the bringing together of Nigerian youths of various ethnic backgrounds. This facilitates cultural and linguistic integration on short and long term bases.70 The short term basis of cultural and linguistic infusion emanates from fraternisation of corps members from different parts of the country during the few weeks of Orientation exercise while the long term interaction emanates from the interaction of corps member posted to the same communities and places of primary assignments for over 10 months.71 This explains why corps members across the federation formed 'Corpers' Association' in the 1980s at grassroots level for the purpose of mobilizing Nigerian youths across ethnic lines for unity of the entire nation through the scheme.72 It has also been established that some marriages among Nigerians of various ethnic divide were consummated through the scheme. Long lasting relationships among Nigerians youths of various religious and ethnic background had been established and these to an extent, had entrenched unity and tranquillity among various groups that make up Nigeria.73 Beyond the issue of marriage, the scheme had further entrenched unity through the level of interactions of corps members who come from different ethnic groups of the country with the desire to leam from each other's culture74 Interview 71 Agu,U. 1995. NYSC and the Nigerian Unity ACritical Appraisal... p.86 ' In 2012 these collaborative efforts culminated into the scheme's SAED initiative which has continued to produce employers of labour across the nooks and crannies of the country. ‘ Osuola, J.O. Social Mobilization and Mass Poverty The Punch, Thursday, August 20,1987, Osuola, J.O. Social Mobilization and Mass Poverty The Punch, Thursday, August 20 ,1987 .73 Asein, S .0 .1993. Call to Service Twenty Years ofthe National Youth Service Corps Scheme.. .p.144. See also, Osuola, J.O. Social Mobilization and Mass Poverty The Punch, Thursday, August 20, 1987. ’Enegwea, G and Umoden, G.1993. NYSC Twenty Years o f National Service.. .p.166 PROGRAMMES AND ACnVTTIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 7 9 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY granted by Mrs Bunmi Morgridge, Assistant Director, Ministry of Information and Culture on the 10,h of August, 2020 in Abuja The Interviewee served in Anambra State during the 1985/1986 Session. Age: 50+75 Agu, U. 1995. NYSC and the Nigerian Unity A Critical Appraisal... p.86 as well as their host communities across the country. The cordial relationships were mostly experienced through the CDS projects some of the corps member undertook. For instance, an ex-corps member was installed as the "OLOROGUN" of Iyade in the former Bendel State as a retaliatory gesture for his inestimable contribution to the unit) and development of Iyade town during his days as a corpj member.76 The traditional title was bestowed on him despite his state of origin. This was a manifestation of unity brought by the scheme. It must be emphasized that the main aim of the scheme was to restore the unity of purpose lost on the eve of the civil war. This to an extent, was restored by the scheme in the 1980s. The unity of purpose brought by the scheme was not unconnected to the policy guidelines which emanated from the Directorate Headquarters as policy formulation and implementation across all the states of the federation were cloaked with the principle of uniformity.77 The economic impact of the scheme cannot be underestimated either. Due to the high rate of unemployment in the 1980s, the scheme created the Job Permanent Unit (JPU) as an institutional reaction to acute unemployment rate in the country.78 This was followed by the vigorous efforts of the scheme through its successive leadership for foster collaborative partnership with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) through the establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) in 1986. The formation of EDP "National Youth Service Corp, NYSC Year Book: 45th Commemorative Edition, 2019. 74 Odeh, G.O. 2019. The Gambia's NYSS Partnership with International Organisation for Migration (IOM): Lessons for Nigeria's NYSC Scheme in the Twenty First Century Being a Paper Presented at the Conference Organized by the University of Texas at Austin. The Paper was also Presented at Conference on Culture, Politics and Contemporary Issues in the Gambia Held at Paradise Suit Hotel, 3 Paradise Beach Place, off Berting Harding Highway (Kololi), Banjul, the Gambia, 14'h-15lhDecember, 2019, p.9. "See, The Composite Policy Document of NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 2013, p.22. ''The Composite Policy Document of NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 2013, p.82. 1 8 0 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY through the scheme helped greatly in ameliorating the problem of unemployment in the country because it helped in developing the entrepreneurs who started and managed small and medium scale industries. The implication of this was the boosting of the micro sector of the country's economy in the 1980s. By the 1990s, the impact of the scheme on the educational sector had become monumental. Düring this decade, more than 70% of 400,000 graduates mobilized for the scheme served in the educational institutions ranging from primary to tertiary levels with impressive performance.75 * * * 79 The contributions of the scheme to educational development could be seen in the way youth corps members were posted to various primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country. The impact of the scheme in the area of education was not only feit among the young people especially in the rural areas, the adult were also affected positively as corps members became tools of social mobilisation which engendered atmosphere of peace in the country.80 This, in a way, has reduced the perennial shortage of manpower in the rural areas and some vital sectors in the country. The health sector also benefited immensely from the scheme through the mobilization of graduates and non-graduates of medicine for the improvement of primary and secondary health sectors especially in the rural areas of the country. In the 1990s, effective healthcare delivery was brought to the doorsteps of many rural communities through corps members who were mobilized for the enlightenment of rural dwellers, especially on the need to keep their environment clean for healthy living.81 With the support of the federal government, the scheme, in the 1990s acquired over 7,000 hectares of farmland in all States of the federation PROGRAMMES AND ACnVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 8 1 75 See, the Composite Policy Docum ent of NYSC Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, 2013, p.82 80 Thomas, D. NYSC: Tim e for Another Reflection The Punch of Thursday Septem ber 24, 1986. 81 M ukhta, A. Kastina A. 2012. 'Nigeria's Security Challenges and Crisis of Development Towards a N ew Fram ework for Analysis' International Journal o f Developing Societies V o l.l, N o3,2012, p.109 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY including Abuja for the cultivation of maize, rice, guinea com and millet, cassava, pineapple, soya beans, sorghum and cowpea.82 Since the year 2000, the scheme has systematic expanded these farms and is massively producing all kinds of food crops across Nigeria. In addition, the scheme contributes immensely to livestock production of the country through projects in places like Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Benue, Imo, Lagos, Enugu, Plateau, Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto and Kastina States.83 Through such efforts, the NYSC is said to be contributing to the feeding of the country. The scheme also assisted the country in the boosting of local production as it ventured into the establishment of a shoe factory in Benin-City, Edo State while a garment factory was also established in Minna, Niger State as these factories offered entrepreneurial training in fashion designing to a select group of corps members every year. The whole essence of this was to instill entrepreneurial skills in young graduates who were less likely to secure white collar jobs in the labour market due to the economic Situation in Nigeria and as a result, the strategy of the scheme in this regard was laudable especially in the area of agricultural production where corps members were enjoined to contribute to the food basket of the nation through their CDS. By 1994 impact of the NYSC activities and programmes in Nigeria began to spread beyond the shores of the country as the scheme began to attract international attention. The recognition emanated from the country's hosting of 2nd Youth Global Conference in Abuja, the country's Capital in 1994. Also, other countries, especially those within Africa, emulated Nigeria on the strategies of developing their countries through youth scheme.84 One of such African countries was the Gambia as the country's delegation led by Mrs Amina Faal-Sanko, the then Gambian Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture used the occasion of the Conference to study the critical areas of Nigeria's NYSC scheme. 182 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 “ Mukhta, A. Kastina . 2012. 'Nigeria's Security Challenges and Crisis of Development Towards a New Fram ework for Analysis1...p .114 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY The dawn of the millennium brought so many challenges to the activities and programmes implemented by the scheme since the 19* Century. One of such challenges was the need to instill the culture of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the formal and informal sectors of the country's economy. To this end, the scheme ensured that corps members who served the nation from the early 2000s keyed into the ICT infrastructure of the scheme through the teaching of ICT Software Solutions.85 The rationale behind this ICT strategy was to further sharpen the ICT skills of the country's graduates who became active players of formal and informal sectors of the Nigerian economy. The implication of this initiative by the scheme was the generation of employment opportunities in the country's ICT sector through website designs and other forms of ICT driven-advertisements inherent in the country's cyber space. This, somehow, had ameliorated the heavy bürden of unemployment within the country's economy. The scheme at the dawn of the millennium had also keyed into the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The implication of this was the total revamping of the scheme's Entrepreneurship Development Programme in the 21st Century through a strong partnership with the office of the United Nations MDGs in Nigeria.86 This strategy of development since the beginning of the 2Tl Century had led to the sensitization and mobilisation of 200,000 young graduates for skill acquisition annually in collaboration with Public-Private Partnership for the development of the country's entrepreneurial drive.87 This has instilled into the minds of young graduates, the vision for self- reliance without the search for unavailable white-collar jobs within the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy. Challenges of Programme Implementation One of the current realities of the Nigerian state which poses threat to the programme implementation of the NYSC scheme isinsecurity ,88 This has spiraled in the wake of Boko Haram and the rise in rural banditry across the country. The fear and PROGRAMMES AND ACTOTTIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 8 3 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY anxiety, insecurity generates implicates the capacity of the Directorate to mobilize corps members and keep them focused in the task of diligently serving the country. Indeed, perennial insecurity in the country poses a great challenge to the integrative strategies of the Nigerian state through the NYSC.89 Structural imbalances in the socio-economic conditions of the people have brought acute inequalities and poverty that generate conflicts. These conflicts according to Kastina, were created by conscious policy of social and political exclusion that heightens insecurity in Nigeria.90 The high level of insecurity in the country can be described as a reactionary strategy of the excluded groups of individuals who see themselves as stakeholders of the Nigerian project. The manifestation of violence by these groups, known and unknown, has overstretched the resources, expertise and competence of Nigeria's security apparatus to the limit. This is because the security challenges are multifaceted and multi- dimensional as they ränge from political and electioneering conflicts, socio- economic agitations, ethno-religious crises, ethnic militias, criminality and other organised crimes. The security challenge had somehow altered the process of cultural integration of the various ethnic groups that make up Nigeria as corps members were afraid of being killed. The implication of this unpleasant security Situation are manifold. first, it has also whittled down the effectiveness of one of the most integrative tools, that is, the CDS.91 The CDS, over the years, had played effective roles in the fusion of cultures of both the corps members from different parts of the country and their host communities. Secondly, it has made it difficult for corps members outside the geo-political zone of a particular community to serve in such a community. Third, it has contributed to the collapse of the country's social fabric in terms of morals.Another emerging challenges of the scheme has been perceived by stakeholders as both internal and extemal. Intemally, it is generally believed that funds allocated to the scheme are inadequate Following the steady increase in corps 1 8 4 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY members over the yeas, the schemes has grappled with teething operational challenges directly linked to paucity of funds. This problem is further compounded by the economic difficulties the nation has continued to contend. The down tum in the economy has diminished the relevance of the scheme. Notwithstanding these challenges, the scheme through its programmes still serves as one of the most enduring institutions in postcolonial Nigeria. It is plausible to argue that though the security challenge hinders the effective implementation of the scheme's activities, the essential Services corps members still render to the nation building project of the Nigerian state in the area of elections, education, health and other critical aspects of public and organised private sectors are germane to the socio- economic well- being of the nation. This shows that the programmes of the scheme have gone beyond national Integration of various ethnic groups to providing essential Services to the critical sectors of the country's socio-economic fabric. The scheme has also contributed to the establishment and development of similar social institutions in places like the Gambia, thereby contributing to the development of no just that country, but Africa. Conclusion One may not be out of place to argue that the conception of the XYSC) after the country's civil war in 1970 was an ingenious contraption to heal the wound created by the Nigerian civil war and to promote national unity in the country. The programmes mstituted in the scheme conformed to the ideological anderpinnings of NYSC as espoused by the founding fathers. The scheme rested on three major pillars - Orientation, primary assignment and CDS. The challenges which confronted the schemehave been met with adequate response, ensuring its survival over the years. The problems of ethnic divisions and msecurity across Nigeria's territorial boundaries underscore the relevance of the NYSC scheme. Against the call for the complete PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVTriES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 8 5 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY abandonment of the programme, it is plausible to contend that the overstretching of the scheme's capacity in pursuing its objectives beyond what was espoused in 1973 under the present circumstances of the Nigerian state calls for greater recognition and adaptation of the scheine to the country's nation building project through comprehensive reforms and sweeping changes to enhance its effectiveness. By implication, these programmes contributed greatly to healing the wounds which the civil war brought upon the nation at least, during the first decade of the existence of the scheine. This, to an extent, conformed to the ideological underpinnings of NYSC as espoused by the founding fathers. However, the challenges which confronted the Nigerian state after the first decade of the scheme's existence necessitated its institutional response through various policies and programmes which to an extent, surmounted these challenges. As the Nigerian state continued to grapple with the challenges of ethnic divisions and insecurity across its territorial boundaries, the impact of the scheme's programmes and activities became saturated and this intensified the calls for its obliteration. It should be noted that the overstretching of the scheme's Programme has not completely made it irrelevant to the nation building project of the Nigerian state, on the contrary, the scheme has been able to respond to the country's nation building demands beyond cultural Integration of various groups that make up the nation. The reason why the calls for the scheme's obliteration have been intensified in recent years is due to the limited objectives of cultural unity which the founding fathers of the scheme espoused at its formation. The founding fathers did not envisage the myriad of challenges currently confronting the Nigerian state at the formation of the scheme in 1973. It may not be out of place tocontend that the overstretching of the scheme's capacity in pursuing its objectives beyond what was espoused in 1973 under the present circumstances of the Nigerian state calls for greater recognition and importance of the scheme to the 186 THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME, 1973 - 2020 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY country's nation building project through a comprehensive reform and sweeping changes than the complete abandonment of it. PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS 1 ^ 7 References Primary Sources Table 4: Interviews S / N N A M E S E X A G E O C C U P A T IO N D A T E A N D P L A C E O F IN T E R V IE W 1 . B o l a T h o m a s F e m a l e 5 0 + C i v i l S e r v a n t 1 0 ,h o f A u g u s t , 2 0 2 0 a t P u b l i c S e r v i c e I n s t i t u t e o f N i g e r i a , K u b w a , A b u j a . 2 . B u n m i M o r g r id g e F c m a le 5 0 + C iv i l S e r v a n t 1 0 * o f A u g u s t , 2 0 2 0 a t P u b l ic S e r v i c e I n s t i t u t e o f N ig e r i a , K u b w a , A b u ja . 3 . O b a y a n ju M a la o lu F e m a le 2 0 + T e a c h in g a n d T r a d in g 2 1 “ o f S e p te m b e r , 2 0 2 0 v i a a t c l c p h o n c in t e r v i e w f ro m A b c o k u ta , O g u n S ta te . 4 . D c o la O g u n t im c h in F c m a lc 2 0 + P r iv a t e F i r m W o r k c r 22"*1 o f S e p te m b e r , 2 0 2 0 v i a a t e l e p h o n e in t e r v i e w f r o m L a g o s . 5 . E f f e to b o r , S te p h a n ie E f f e v o t tu F c m a le 2 0 + P h .D . S tu d e n t 2 5 lh o f S e p te m b e r , 2 0 2 0 v i a a t c l c p h o n c in t e r v i e w f r o m I b a d a n . 6. E m e k a O k o y e - C h in e M a le 4 0 + B u s in e s s m a n 2 4 ,h o f S e p te m b e r , 2 0 2 0 v i a a t c l c p h o n c in t e r v i e w f r o m O n i t s h a , A n a m b r a S ta te . 7 I s s a c E d ib a M a le 4 0 + L e c tu r e r 2 8 * o f S e p te m b e r , 2 0 2 0 v i a a t c l c p h o n c in t e r v i e w f r o m G o m b c S ta t e , N ig e r i a . 8 . M o h a m m e d I Ia s s a n M o h a m m e d M a le 4 0 + C iv i l S e r v a n t 1 0 * o f A u g u s t , 2 0 2 0 a t P u b l i c S e r v i c e I n s t i t u t e o f N ig e r i a , K u b w a , A b u ja . 9 . O lu w a k e m i O g u n t im e h in F e m a le 5 0 + T e a c h e r T r a d in g 2 1*1 o f S e p te m b e r , 2 0 2 0 a t I b a f o , O g u n S ta te . 10. R o s e 1 in e E k e U lo m a F e m a le 2 3 1 8 * S e p te m b e r , 2 0 2 0 v i a a t e l e p h o n e i n t e r v i e w f r o m L a g o s . Government Publications Government Publication as extracted from NYSC Archives, Abuja on the Report on the Post-Orientation Course Service Year 1973-74 Lagos: National Youth Service Corps Cabinet Office, Lagos, 1974 Anon: Mobilization o f Corps Members for Community Developmen f NYSC Year Book 20lh Anniversary Edition, 1973-1993. Kila F. 1980. "Youth Mobilization for National Development: The Tanzanian Experience" in National Service for the 80s Report on the Proceedings of the Workshop on the UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY National Youth Service Corps Scheme Kano, Kano State. 26lh-28thMay/1980 Obasa, P.K. 1980. 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