From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Dogara Ahmed, has said that the scheme boasts of an average number of 350,000 corps members mobilized annually for the promotion of national unity.
He said this while delivering a lecture titled: Harnessing The Potentials of Nigerian Youths for National Unity and Development”, at the 5th convocation lecture of the Edo State University, Uzairue.
Ahmed who was represented by the Director, South South zone, Ladan Baba, said the scheme, being the largest youth organization in Africa, has given the participants the much needed exposure and opportunity for deeper appreciation and understanding of the nation’s diversity.
“The NYSC was therefore established as a deliberate public policy to ensure the realization of the government post-war strategy of Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (RRR).
“The NYSC was a significant step towards youth engagement, it mandated qualified graduates of universities and other tertiary institutions to participate in a one year service programme to foster national unity and providing opportunity for the youth to contribute to community development,” Ahmed said.
He said the NYSC has created an opportunity for establishing life-long relationships among the youths as a lot has also been achieved in the area of cultural integration.
According to him, the scheme has the objective of developing common ties among the youths and promoting national unity by ensuring they are assigned to jobs in states other than their state of origin with the intent of removing prejudice and eliminating ignorant among the young graduates.
The DG added that the main objective of the scheme was to inculcate discipline in Nigeria 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.
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Emmanuel Aluyor, thanked the Pro-Chancellor Prof Emeritus Thomas Okpo K. Audu, who he said contributed immensely to the success story of the university. He equally thanked the DG of NYSC who delivered the 5th convocation lecture.
On his part, the Pro-Chancellor, Prof Emeritus Thomas Okpo K Audu, thanked the state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, for his support in ensuring that the university continues to make giant strides.