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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
No fewer than 10 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members will depart Nigeria for the Republic of India today to participate in a youth exchange programme organised by the Indian National Cadet Corps.
The management of the scheme also disclosed that the programmre is an annual event to commemorate the independence anniversary of the Republic of India, adding that participants are drawn from Europe, Asia, Africa and other continents.
Its Director, Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, who disclosed this in a statement, explained that during a pre-departure briefing exercise held at the Indian High Commission in Abuja, the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, had appreciated the warm reception accorded him, and the invitation extended to the scheme to participate in the programme.
“The Director General noted that the invitation, being the second one, was another opportunity for the scheme to showcase the potentials of the Nigerian youths while also giving participants the opportunity to understand the socio-economic similarities and differences between the two countries.
“Ahmed told his hosts that Nigeria is a country with diverse cultures, adding that NYSC was established to promote national unity, cohesion and development. He stated that the scheme was always open to collaborating with agencies both within and outside the country for the promotion of its noble objectives,” he said.
While providing further information on the programme, NYSC, in the statement, noted that “the director general also said that the ideas Nigerian delegation would gain at the programme, especially from the Indian National Cadet Corps, would be applied to improve the NYSC programmes.
“Ahmed congratulated the corps members on their nomination for the event, and enjoined them to be of good conduct in line with the core values of the scheme.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Shri G. Balasubramanian, noted that Nigeria and India shared several things in common, especially their huge populations and multi-cultural settings.
He said that the exchange programme would enable the delegation to showcase Nigeria’s culture at the event, which would be attended by youths from other countries
The diplomat described the NYSC scheme as a commendable initiative, which would not only give the participating youths a broader understanding of the country, but also prepare them for leadership responsibilities.
He appreciated the contributions of the scheme to the development of Nigeria, and revealed that its selection for participation at the Youth Exchange Programme along with other countries was informed by its uniqueness as well as similarities with the National Cadet Corps of India.
The High Commissioner added that India would be willing to learn from the scheme’s experiences, thanking the NYSC director general for his support for the exchange programme and promising the corps members that the experiences they would garner during the programme would be memorable and impactful.
Balasubramanian remarked that “Indian government was pleased with the last set of the corps members that attended the country’s 75th Independent Anniversary. “The present set should emulate their predecessors, as all expenses for the trip would be catered for by the Indian government.
“I admonish them to use the opportunity of the programme to make friends from across the globe and also explore the country’s rich cultural heritage, its historical sites, other issues of interest, including Indian cuisines.”
