NYSC

By Ukasha Rabiu Magama

Youths in Bauchi state have been challenged to engage in community development projects and uphold the spirit of patriotism by providing a lasting solution to the severe hardship the rural dwellers are experiencing due to poor infrastructure in the nation.

Speaking with the reporters in an interview with Joshua Sanga, the Director General of Bauchi state Public Procurement in Kwagga, during the commissioning of the solar borehole project worth over N6 million executed by a corps member, Umar Abubakar Ahmed in Kwagga, Toro local government Bauchi state.

Abubakar, who sacrificed the money offered to him by Shibnobi Firm as an award of recognition for his selfless service to the company said to have spent it to provide a lasting solution to long decades of water scarcity in his community.

Commending the project initiator, Eng. Sanga emphasised that it’s high time for young men to start reaching out to their various communities with such a life-changing project to meet the yearning and aspirations of the people as the government alone can’t meet people’s demands up to a satisfactory level.

While commissioning the milestone project, the chairman of Toro local government of Bauchi state Alhaji Danlami Tashan Dami, represented by his deputy Alhaji Auwal Abba affirmed that when youth possesses patriotism, our rural areas would be developed, adding that it will go a long in reducing the hardship experienced by rural dwellers as well as the burden of the government. 

Umar Abubakar Danfulani, the project initiator, said he only forfeited the 6 million Naira offered to him by Shibnobi Firm not because he doesn’t have dreams but rather to provide potable drinking water to his community. He, however, stated that it pains him much to see his parents, sisters and among other well-wishers fetching drinking water from the mucky pond, adding that government must stand on its feet to end the water scarcity and other social amenities deficits in the rural areas hence the need is to provide a conducive atmosphere for living.

Abubakar asked the parents to take their wards to school, describing education as the bedrock of development, saying that without being educated, he won’t have Shibnobi Firm won’t offer him a job, not talk about bringing the project to the community. Abubakar, who is currently in his one-year mandatory service to the nation in Abuja, said that he struggled so much and sponsored his education as an orphan. Therefore, they called on parents to do everything possible to ensure their wards are educated for a better tomorrow.

In his remark, the royal father of the host community Kwagga, Mlm, Idris Abdullahi, on behalf of the entire Kwagga community, showed their appreciation to the young Umar Abubakar for remembering the town’s predicaments and by bringing them the timely succour, adding that only God almighty can bless him. He also urged the Bauchi state government to provide them with pipes to channel the water to their various houses.

Meanwhile, the Uplift Association presented an award of excellence to the young Umar Abubakar for his sacrifice and selfless service to humanity; while presenting the award Abdulfatah Mu’azu, the association chairman, challenged the youth to emulate his kind gesture as there were many gaps awaiting the youths to fixed, saying government alone can’t provide our needs.

The event had notable dignitaries, Toro local government Danlami Tashan Durumi who was represented by his deputy Alhaji Auwal Abba, a representative from the state ministry of water resources, royal fathers, politicians, corps members, and youths associations, among others.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

According to reports, Brigadier-General Mohammed Fadah, the director general of the National Youth Service Corps, has been fired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Eddy Megwa, the NYSC spokesman, merely stated that a formal statement would be released on Friday when reached.

The Daily Reality understands that the president decided on Thursday, nevertheless.

Only six months had passed since Fadah was appointed director of the NYSC in May 2022 before he was fired.

The National Youth Service Corps has denied reports that 21 female corps members were raped during a robbery on Wednesday.

The scheme confirmed that, contrary to the reports, no physical harm was inflicted on them, and no corps member was raped.

In a statement obtained by journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Chinyere Ekwe, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of NYSC, clarified the matter.

She was quoted as saying, “In the said story making the rounds, it was alleged that gunmen attacked, raped, robbed and dispossessed Corps Members of their valuables at Udo Ekong Ekwere Street, off Information Drive, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where they reside.

“To put the unfortunate incident in proper perspective, the State Coordinator, NYSC Akwa Ibom State, Chinyere Ekwe in the company of the State Police Commissioner, Olatoye Durosinmi, visited the Corps Members for an on-the-spot assessment.

“While there, it was confirmed that 21 corps members occupy the said property. The interaction with the corps members further revealed that an attack on them was actually carried out by thieves at about 1 am this morning.

“In the process, the invaders took their valuables including phones, laptops and some cash. They confirmed that no bodily harm was meted on them, and no corps member was raped.”

Violent attacks are not only quotidian in the Northern part of the country; the South also suffer from activities of hoodlums and terrorist organisations like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the Southeast.

By Tijani Hassan

A corps member serving at Al-Furqan Learners’ Academy, Potiskum, Yobe State, has trained and empowered twenty widows on fashion design and tailoring skills in an effort to eliminate poverty and unemployment amongst women in the society.

The corps member, Chidimma Atuchukwu Obiageliaku, who hails from Anambra State, said the gesture was born out of her passion and desire to assist the vulnerable and less privileged in society.

The Commissioning and Presentation Ceremony held on Thursday, 30 June 2022, at the school premises,  witnessed the presentation of certificates, wrappers, sewing materials and seven new sewing machines to the trainee widows. This came after 6 six weeks of intensive dress-making training and other entrepreneurial skills.

Other projects initiated by the Corps member included renovating and stocking a 40-seater school library to boost students’ learning capacity. She said, “whenever you read a book, it equips you with the knowledge and power to become whoever you aspire to be”, hence, donating the library to the school to equip the students to become great in the future.

In his welcome address, the School Director, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed, represented by Alhaji Suleiman Dauda, commended all the Corps members serving under his watch and specifically the project initiator Chidimma. He added that she was the first of her kind to execute a project of this considerable repute.

The state Coordinator of NYSC Yobe State, Hajiya Hafsat Yerima, represented by the Head of Community Development Service, CDS, Mr Abimbola Akin, expressed her satisfaction with the project carried out by the Corps member and hinted that the state would never forget her in a hurry while urging other Corp members to emulate her good gesture.

In his contribution, the Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Potiskum, represented by the Head of Digital and Visual Library of the College, Mallam Abubakar Hassan, explained that education is the bedrock of every meaningful society which deserves the contribution of all stakeholders.

Hassan, on behalf of FCE (T), Potiskum donated a reasonable number of textbooks to the school as part of their contribution to the project.

The benefiting widows, who were highly pleased, thanked the Corps member for the humanitarian support. The leader of the widows, Mrs Ladi, said the training is a lifetime investment that has transformed their lives beyond imagination. She prayed to Almighty God to grant their benefactor success in her future endeavours.

Other attendees included the Commissioner, Basic and Secondary Education, Yobe State, Dr Muhammad Sani Idris, representative of the Emir of Fika, His Royal Highness (Dr.) Muhammadu Idrissa Ibn Abbali, Humanitarian organisations, parents and students.

In his closing remarks, the School Director thanked the initiator of the projects and the sponsors and offered her automatic and pensionable employment with accommodation and other benefits after her National Service.

The Community Development Service is one of the key components of the NYSC, designed to have a beneficial influence on the lives of the host community.

Ishaka Mohamed

According to a New York Times bestselling author, Joyce Meyer, patience is not simply the ability to wait — it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.

Many Nigerian youths have been eager for the outcome of their applications for the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP). Well, the waiting period is almost over because forty days from now, successful Fellows will have been deployed to their host organisations. This is according to the mail sent to many applicants, a version of which has also been posted on Facebook by the official page of the scheme: Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme.

That said, I write this purposely to advise all the applicants. I have categorised them into three.

The first group are those who have been pushed by impatience into using rude comments on posts by two Facebook pages: UNDP in Nigeria and Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme. I presume they’re really fresh graduates who, probably, haven’t been following recruitment processes in Nigeria. I’ll outline only three out of the countless cases of delay in the country for them. 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) started a recruitment process in 2019 but failed to complete it until 2022.

N-Power Batch C application started in June 2020, but the deployment of beneficiaries never happened until after 15 months. 

The Kaduna State Teachers’ Service Board (KSTSB) started a recruitment exercise in 2018 but managed to employ 7,000 secondary school teachers in July 2022. In fact, as of the time of writing this article, that’s nine months after their employment, none of these teachers has been posted to a school, let alone being paid a salary.

Therefore, there isn’t any need to feel too disappointed over something that is highly expected. It’s worth stressing, however, that it’s OK to clamour for a positive change in whatever concerns us, but decorum is highly recommended, at least for a young graduate and job seeker. So, rude comments should be done away with.

The second group are the over 340,000 applicants who won’t be selected. Yes, a total of 365,679 people applied for the scheme that needs only 20,000 Fellows per annum.

With or without cogent evidence, there’ll be lamentations from almost every angle when successful applicants are eventually picked. Many will blame favouritism and the like. A good number might lose interest in applying for other jobs, claiming that it’s by whom one knows. I urge all unsuccessful applicants (yet to know, though) to avoid losing momentum because of this; it’s simply part of life.

Now, to the third group, the privileged few, I advise that you think twice before leaving your ‘small’ job for the programme. Although it’s said that Fellows will be fully paid as graduates, being deployed doesn’t guarantee prompt payments. You must be realistic to yourself by keeping an alternative means of livelihood.

Of all of the schemes I’ve observed in Nigeria, only NYSC is somehow consistent in the payment of allowances. I’ll mention three others that have significantly failed in this regard.

One, as of January 2022, many of the past N-Power volunteers were still owed stipends. That was after 18 months of exiting the programme. And even while in the scheme, a significant number of these youth often received overdue allowances.

Two, the Special Public Works Programme for 774,000 unskilled labourers ended in March 2021, but a good number of the beneficiaries weren’t paid their N60,000 stipends until after nine months (end of December 2021).

Three, some Nigerian youth were placed on a three-month paid internship called the Work Experience Programme (WEP) from August to October 2021.

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development promised each intern a monthly allowance of N30,000 within the period of their engagement.

But such never happened, as the payment commenced in November 2021 and continued, inconsistently, through February 2022.

Some may think that NJFP will be different; I pray so, too. However, the scheme has already shared a pattern with its predecessors. In August 2021, it was promised that the first batch would be inducted in about two months’ time (October), only for the statement to be changed after seven months.

Based on the above instances, I reiterate that you keep an alternative source of livelihood before engaging in the programme. This is especially important for those who’d be posted to states other than their current settlements.

On a final note, if you’re privileged to be deployed to a private organisation, make sure to sell yourself. Much as many organisations usually aim to rightsize their employee base, none will be willing to lose a diligent young graduate if you really present yourself well.

Ishaka Mohammed writes from Kaduna. He can be reached via ishakamohammed39@gmail.com.

By Fatima Usman

During their compulsory National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, many people don’t usually ask themselves, “What next after the service year”? Many people know what they want and what to do, but they don’t have any concrete idea of what they want or even what they want to do.

But now, the service year is over. For many, the reality will face them right in the face, NO MORE ALLAWEE (33,000 stipends). As small as this money is, it will become gold to many who could not find a job after some months of completing service.

The scheme’s purpose is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian youths the spirit of selfless service to the community and emphasize the spirit of oneness and brotherhood of all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or social background. This is because the history of our country since independence has indicated the need for unity amongst all our people and demonstrated the fact that no cultural or geographical entity can exist in isolation.

The Joy of every student is to see that they graduate and serve their father’s land without minding the stress they passed through while in the school, but then what next after the one year of NYSC? This is the question many people ask themselves while still on camp, but when you know the answer to it, you are good to go, and vice versa.

After the service year, you are faced with the next phase of life. Some very lucky ones will get a well-paying job or will further their education, while others may have to start all over again after the 33k allowance must have stopped coming.

Back in the day, when a person graduated from tertiary institutions, there was a high tendency that such a person would get a well-paying job without any stress of going to look for a job, but now the case is different. Many students are scared of even leaving the NYSC because they know that there’s no job.

Millions of graduates with outstanding results out there are looking for white-collar jobs, but the country doesn’t have jobs to give everybody. Thus, you should try as much as possible to acquire one or two skills that can be of help after your service year. Don’t wait to finish NYSC before you start thinking of what to do next. Before you even go into NYSC, ask yourself these questions:

What is life after NYSC?

What am I going to do after NYSC?

How am I going to start with life?

When you know the answers to these questions, you are 50% on the track. Today’s world requires us to do more than going to school or graduate with good grades.

Don’t be carried away by the title “graduate”; get yourself something doing. If you have a skill already, develop it; start from small. Yes, it’s pretty stressful, but you will reach that goal with determination and hard work.

Many people who are now successful today passed through a lot, but today they are doing fine. So if those people can do it, there’s no excuse for you.

Fatima Usman is a 300 level student of mass communication at IBB University, Lapai. She can be reached via usmanfatima499@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has advised corps members to try and stop nighttime travel to minimize the risk of being involved in car accidents.

In their Places of Primary Assignment, PPA, corps members should avoid social vices such as drug misuse, human trafficking, cybercrime, and advanced fee fraud, he noted.

During the closing ceremony of the 2022 Batch “A” Stream 2 Corps Members at NYSC Orientation Camp, Ikot Itie Udung in Nsit Atai on Thursday, Ibrahim, who was represented by the Akwa Ibom Coordinator, Mrs Chinyere Ekwe, issued the charge.

The DG advised corps members to spend the night at military barracks or any other officially protected site if their journey lasted longer than 6 pm.

He was quoted as saying, “to greatly minimize the risk of road traffic accidents, you are expected to always cut short your trips from 6 pm in the evening and pass the night at military barracks and other locations officially designated as safe.”

By Ahmed Deedat Zakaria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The MoU aims at a partnership that combats financial crimes. 

The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrashid Bawa, received the Director-General of NYSC, Major-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, February 21, where the MoU was signed. 

Addressing the audience at the event, Mr Bawa said the document is important as it will guide the two agencies on what is expected of them.

“We are delighted to have you. NYSC has been part of us from the beginning, as we have always had the opportunity of welcoming corps members to help us in one area or another where we have gaps in our staff, even though the sensitivity of what we do requires trained officers, but they are actually helping us a lot,” he said.

Bawa also commended the role of corps members in the fight against corruption.

“Corps members are agents of enlightenment. I want to assure you that our collaboration will address fraudulent acts, and I assure you that we will continue to sensitize members of the public on the dangers of corruption,” he said.

On the other hand, Ibrahim asked for the support of EFCC in arresting online scammers attempting to defraud unsuspecting Corps Members and the public. 

“All of us have to fight corruption for the sake of our country, and I can assure you that the NYSC will play its part as enshrined in the MoU,” he said.

By Promise Eze

My heart was broken to smithereens when I read of how a 21-year-old Sule Mathew was horrendously despatched by unknown gunmen last week in Anambra state.

Sule Matthew graduated with a first-class from the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, recently. The young man was on his way to participate in the forthcoming orientation programme of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) when he and other passengers were ambushed and butchered by unknown assailants.

It was reported that he lost his father a few months ago, but now his family has lost him. I think of the grief his mother would go through. I think of the agony and despair the bereaved family he left behind will suffer.

The young man had so much potential and could have done more for his country if allowed to live. I followed his Facebook page and it became glaringly clear that Igala land and Kogi state has lost a great individual, one who was ready to contribute positively to the development of his homeland. I saw that he was a fellow of a budding political movement, Gidan Yanci and also he was the cofounder of KogiYupp— a project that offers Kogi youth a chance to be involved in progressive political participation. But the young man was forced to wilt before he even bloomed.

He travelled to eastern Nigeria in a car, and he would return in a coffin. No thanks to the so-called unknown gunmen (UGM) who are responsible for his demise. UGM, a product of IPOB’s agitation for Biafra, came into the limelight in 2020. Their own way of demanding a new country is by attacking police stations, military checkpoints, and paramilitary officers.

UNG suddenly became worse than the ‘evil’ they were fighting. These mkpuru mmiri addicts now armed with guns colonized a once peaceful movement for a referendum and transformed it into an all-out war with the Nigerian government. Now, they’ve murdered a young man who has no business with whatever is going on in Eastern Nigeria. His only crime was going to serve his country.

It pains me that Sule was killed for nothing. It hasn’t been confirmed if ‘IPOB’s Unknown gunmen’ are responsible for the attack that led to his death, but we know that IPOB’s activities created a dark hole that armed robbers, hard drug users, kidnappers and cultists are fitting into. Now, anyone could carry out any attack and use the insignia of IPOB to cover his crime. This brings the question, ‘Is Biafra still worth fighting for?’ 

Ever since the resurgence of the call of Biafra, it’s been bloodshed after bloodshed. Chaos after chaos. Gunshots after gunshots. Igbo land which was known to be relatively peaceful is now a war zone. What kind of Biafra are IPOB and UGM clamouring for that demands so much blood? The blood of the innocent. The blood of Sule Matthew. The blood of the passengers who were killed too. If this is what Biafra entails then I do not want it to exist.

And I believe that the vast majority of Ndi Igbo would swear that they rather remain with Nigeria than involve themselves with this kind of Biafra—a Biafra where we all have to sleep with only one of our eyes closed.

Biafra died inside me the day I learnt about the death of Sule. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Promise Eze is a journalist and writes via ezep645@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Sabiu

A National Youth Service Corps Member by the name Sani Umar Yakubu has on Thursday 25th November 2021, or in fulfillment of his community development service commissioned renovated twin toilet facility in Community High School Afaha Obong, Abak Local Government of Akwa Ibom State.

While commissioning the renovated toilets, Umar who hails from Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State, said the facility represents his contribution to fight against open defecation, citing the United Nations Statistics of over 47 million individuals practicing Open defecation in the country.

He added that the gesture follows a successful sensitizations to about five schools namely: Government Technical College, Abak, Comprehensive Secondary School, Ediene; St. Mary’s Practicing School, Holy Family Secondary Schools, Church of Jesus Christ Atai Otoro, market etc on the negative implications of open defecation.

The corps member, who encourage other corps members to embark on similar project, said that it will ensure development of their host community for legacy during the service year and that the project was executed with support from his sponsors Engr. Inyeneowo Umanah of Lean On ME Nigeria and Muritala Mujjib, a business man in Abak market also commended the support of Elder Umah T. Udiong, principal Community High School Afaha Obong.

While commending the effort, the principal community high school Afaha Obong Elder Umah T. Udiong appreciated the corps member on the project, noting that their students will make adequate use of the facility and ensure cleanliness. “This project comes at a time that I was under pressure to provide a good toilet facility, most especially to the staff of the school.

“When the project manager walked into my office to indicate his interest to renovate the toilet facility, the joy inside me knew no bunds. I still do not understand why he chose this school for this project, given that this is not his place of primary assignment but one thing I know is that God works in a mysterious way”, he said.

The Honorable Commissioner for Education Akwa Ibom State Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet who was represented by Dr Aniete Ikot commended the corps member for his staginess and passion to the service for his fatherland stating that if every corps member is determined to execute a project that will impact their host community positively, the entire country will be a better place.