The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has extended the service year of Ms. Rita Ushie, widely known on social media as Raye, by two months following her viral video criticizing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over worsening economic hardship in Nigeria.
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The controversial decision comes three months after Raye’s tearful TikTok post in March, where she decried the unbearable cost of living in Lagos and described the Tinubu-led government as “terrible.” The video sparked widespread online debate, drawing public sympathy and condemnation of perceived attempts by NYSC authorities to silence her.
Following the viral video, Raye reported receiving several calls from NYSC officials demanding she take down the video and warning her against making political statements online. She was subsequently summoned to appear at the Eti-Osa Local Government NYSC office. However, when she arrived with activist Omoyele Sowore and her legal team, the official who summoned her failed to appear.
The matter re-emerged last Wednesday, June 18, when Raye was summoned again, this time to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos. There, she was informed—without any formal written notice—that her service year had been extended by two months as a punitive measure.
Jonathan Ugbal, South-South Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, who has been in contact with Raye’s family, told CrossRiverWatch that the extension came as a shock and left Raye emotionally devastated.
“She called her mother in tears after being informed of the extension. We tried to reach her, but she’s not in the right state of mind to speak,” Ugbal said.
Raye had reportedly apologized to NYSC staff during the latest meeting in a bid to de-escalate tensions, though she maintains that her original post reflected the real struggles of many young Nigerians.
In the video posted in March, Raye lamented skyrocketing prices of food, electricity, transportation, and general living expenses, questioning what the Tinubu administration was doing to address the economic crisis.
“Why am I being told that a crate of eggs costs ₦6,500? Lagos stinks. Everything is unbearable. Even Uber now costs ₦25,000. The NYSC allowance is a joke. What is this government doing?” she asked.
She also accused President Tinubu directly: “I don’t know if there’s a worse president than you, but you are a terrible president.”
The viral post triggered intense debate about whether corps members, like all Nigerian citizens, should be free to express their opinions on governance.
As it stands, Ms. Ushie is expected to serve an additional two months, barring any legal or administrative intervention. Supporters online have launched a #JusticeForRaye hashtag, calling for the reversal of the extension and demanding NYSC accountability.
For now, the young graduate remains the unlikely face of a growing generation of Nigerians using social media to hold power to account — and facing consequences for doing so.
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