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NYSC is an acronym meaning National Youth Service Corps. According to Wikipedia, the NYSC is a mandatory, post-tertiary scheme set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime of Head of State, Yakubu Gowon in 1973, to “reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war”. There is no military conscription in Nigeria, but since 1973, graduates of universities and polytechnics have been required to take part in the National Youth Service Corps program for one year. The corps members are expected to work as full-time staff at their Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) with the exception of one working day devoted to the execution of a community development service popularly called CDS. The scheme aims to foster national unity and cohesion. The incumbent Director-General of NYSC is Brigadier General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed.

The National Youth Service Corps, Agbara, Ogun State, held its first general CDS meeting for 2024 Batch A and B corps members. An estimated number of over 1,200 corps members currently serving in the Local Government were in attendance. Although, this general CDS had been holding in the past for youths who are now ex-corps members, but this was the first time the Batch A and B, 2024 Corps Members would experience one. The sole aim of the meeting was to sensitize corps members, and remind them of what serving their Fatherland connotes and truly entails.

The event officially started with the reciting of the national anthem, national pledge, national prayer, NYSC anthem and the Ogun State anthem. The open speech was taken by the NYSC Local Government Inspector of Agbara, in the person of Mr. Abdulwaheed Kuoye. He started by first introducing the guests of the day, which include the Zonal Inspector of Ota Zone, Mr. Alabi Manasseh; a Local Government staff, Mrs. Francesca Okereocha; a Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) trainer, Mr. Ernest Ozimede; and a representative of Showmax TV, Ms. Adesola Akinlolu. He addressed the corps members with so much grace, emphasizing on the importance of CDS and how inexcusable it is to not be a part of it as a corps member, being one of the four cardinal processes of the NYSC scheme.

Next, the first guest speaker, Mr. Ernest Ozimede, a SAED trainer from Cherish Global Professional Academy Ltd/Gte (CGPA) mounted the podium to address the corps members on what is next after NYSC. He introduced the opportunity for corps members to learn professional courses ranging from Human Resource Management, Supply chain and logistics management, quality management system, HSE- health safety and environmental management, project management, etc.; skill courses such as data analysis, digital marketing, web design, and graphics design; and real estate courses. NYSC subsidized the price of these professional courses for corps members, for which after requisite examination might have been taken, a certificate of completion will be issued. For a bonus, corps members who register get assistance on how to write a professional CV.

Moving on, the representative of Showmax TV, Ms. Adesola Akinlolu announced a subscription package, which has been reduced from 1,300 to 1,000 naira, with a view to making it affordable for interested corps members. The LGI generously came to announce that he would be contributing 20,000 naira to increase the number of corps members who would grab the opportunity to register to Showmax TV. The corps members were thrilled and appreciative of this gesture.

Afterwards, the main guest speaker of the event, the Zonal Inspector of Ota Zone, Mr. Alabi Manasseh, addressed the corps members. He reminded the corps members of what the NYSC four cardinal processes are, which include the Orientation Camp, Place of Primary Assignment, Community Development Service, and the Passing Out Parade. He emphasized that all corps members have to diligently undergo these four cardinal service year processes, following all the rules and regulations guiding them, before passing out as corps members. As a loving father figure, he spoke on health issues corps members may possibly have, and advised them to speak up and let the LGI be aware of their ailments, buttressing that NYSC is greatly concerned about the well-being of the corps members. Also, he addressed the need for corps members to be security conscious. He insisted that corps members move in groups and not live alone for security reasons. Furthermore, he reemphasized the importance of corps members’ attendance and active participation in NYSC activities, commending the overall attendance of corps members for the event of that day. Lastly, he advised the corps members to refrain from the local government elections in Agbara that would commence soon for security reasons.

Finally, the closing remark was taken by the beautiful local government staff, Mrs. Francesca Okereocha. She lightened the atmosphere of the event by actively engaging the corps members in a question and answer session. She asked questions to random topics to test the brilliance and readiness of the corps members. The corps members who got the answers correctly we rewarded with free subscription on Showmax TV. After the question and answer session, she thanked the corps members and encouraged them to always be present for CDS and other NYSC activities. She also reminded the corps members that the NYSC was created to encourage unity in cultural diversity.

Lastly, the corps members all stood up to recite the NYSC anthem and the program officially closed. A photography session, organization by Giantability Media Network, was done to capture group of corps members after the event.

By Kofoworola Oladoke

Graphics design by Deborah Samuel