National Youth Service Corps

I have received comments with the view that the NYSC is a fraud and should be scrapped. In the past, I have received emails arguing that the NYSC is a violation of human rights. I was over 30 years old when I returned to Nigeria and believe me when I say that I was not thrilled that I had to go through the service year over 10 years ago. However, it turned out to be a positive experience for me. I appreciate the fact that there are people who pass through great difficulty during their service year. Whatever the case, it concerns me that people are unaware of the provisions of the NYSC Act. Many people, it seems, are misinformed about the categories of people that are exempt from service and rather than going to the source, the law, to verify, they are confidently spreading false information. The NYSC was established by the National Youth Service Corps Act to encourage and develop common ties among Nigerian youth and promote national unity. The objectives of the NYSC are listed in Section 1(3) as: (a) to inculcate discipline in Nigerian youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry at work, and, of patriotic and loyal service to Nigeria in any situation they may find themselves; (b) to raise the moral tone of the Nigerian youths by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievement, social and cultural improvement; (c) to develop in the Nigerian youths the attitudes of mind, acquired through shared experience and suitable training, which will make them more amenable to mobilisation in the national interest; (d) to enable Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self-reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self-employment; (e) to contribute to the accelerated growth of the national economy; (f) to develop common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration; (g) to remove prejudices, eliminate ignorance and confirm at first hand the many similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups; and (h) to develop a sense of corporate existence and common destiny of the people of Nigeria. Every Nigerian who falls into the categories listed in Section 2(1) of the Act is required to make himself available for the service year. Graduates of Nigerian and foreign universities; Higher National Diploma holders; and National Certificate of Education holders are all required to serve. As we know, there are exceptions to every rule and the exceptions for the NYSC are in Section 2(2) of the Act which states as follows: Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, with effect from 1st August 1985, a person shall not be called upon to serve in the service corps if, at the date of his graduation or obtaining his diploma or other professional qualification (emphasis mine)- (a) he is over the age of thirty; or (b) he has served in the armed forces of the Federation or Nigeria Police Force for a period of more than nine months; or (c) he is member of staff of any of the following, that is- (i) the Nigerian Security Organisation; or (ii) the State Security Service; or (iii) the National Intelligence Agency; or (iv) the Defence Intelligence Agency; or (d) he has been conferred with any National Honour. So, who is a Nigerian? By section 25 the Constitution of Nigeria, the following persons are Nigerian by birth, whether or not you have a Nigerian passport: (a) every person born in Nigeria before the date of independence, either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents belongs or belonged to a community indigenous to Nigeria: Provided that a person shall not become a citizen of Nigeria by virtue of this section if neither of his parents nor any of his grandparents was born in Nigeria; (b) every person born in Nigeria after the date of independence either of whose parents or any of whose grandparents is a citizen of Nigeria: and 
 (c)  every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria.
 Just as benefits accrue to a Nigerian by birth, there are duties on the same Nigerians. We enjoy the benefits, we owe the duties. That is the way the cookie crumbles. If you think that one day, public office will not be such a bad idea, then be like Dimeji Bankole. Come home, quietly complete your service year, take a few photographs with you and your friends, dressed in those hideous, ill-fitting, khakis. And the day that some political vipers capture you with the intention of offering you as a sacrifice on the altar of political expediency, you can pull out your photographs and neutralise their venom. If, come hell or high water, you refuse to comply with the NYSC law and you are approached for public office, the best you can do is to politely tell your benefactor(s) that you appreciate their confidence in you, and would be proud to contribute your quota to national development, but you will have to do it from behind the scenes. Section 13(4) provides that: Any person who-(a) in giving any information for the purposes of this Act knowingly or recklessly makes a statement which is false; or(b) forges or uses or lends to or allows to be used other than in the manner provided by this Act by any other person any certificate issued pursuant to the provisions of this Act; or (c)makes, or has in his possession any document so closely resembling any certificate so issued as to be calculated to deceive, is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of 5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of three years or to both such fine and imprisonment. Friends, Nigerians, country people, lend me your ears. This is the current position of the law, until it is reformed or scrapped. Do not be deceived and do not deceive others. The consequences of both are offences and carry penalty under the law.]]>