It’s about that time of year again when fresh graduates nationwide begin another phase in their journey to self discovery and relevance; the phenomenon known generally as NYSC. For those who might not know, it’s somewhat mandatory for all graduates of University to embark on this One year exercise just some months after their graduation from school.
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Now, I’m not exactly against the National Youth Orientation Scheme per se. I just feel it’s an endeavour that has lost its essence and is basically living on borrowed time. Let’s look at this critically shall we? The average Nigerian student goes to school and spends at least 4 years, that’s if he’s not Engineering, Law or Medical student where he’ll spend between 5 – 7 years. Let’s also not forget the ASUU strikes that are guaranteed to take place at least once in their study lifespan.
So after spending at least 5 years, you graduate from a school of stress, struggle and all round suffering and have to get ready to give one year of your life to the service of your nation. In years past, The NYSC was organised as a scheme to foster unity, encourage meeting indigenes from other parts of the country to allow for interaction and eventual union (in the form of marriage). It was designed so that Nigerians could contribute to developing other states with the expertise they had garnered while in school.
The sad reality of it is; these days no one is doing the above listed. First of all, the fresh graduate is thinking of how he can fit in to the society quick enough to repay all the investments made on him throughout his University stay. He probably has parents and siblings that depend on reaping the quick fruits of their labour but then the nation is saying he should go to some far away land to serve.
What is the essence of the service year? Why should youth give their time (which is money) to a nation that cannot guarantee their shelter, safety or future? Have you ever wondered why we have square pegs in round holes in various organisations? I’ll tell you; NYSC. Many of our graduates fresh from school with little or no working experience are thrust into various sectors (mostly teaching, banking, Local government work) during their service year. Now you have a graduate Engineer posted to a bank as a cashier, what happens? In that one year, he forgets most of his engineering ability and has to study banking principles to fit into his new job.
He gets used to banking and is then offered a full time job there on completion of his service. Because he realises that getting jobs in our country is harder than fetching water with a sieve, he decides to take the offer and thus ends up stuck in that sector for a long while. The same goes with other disciplines and eventually, the trend goes on and on.
With the spate of violence reported in the country with little protection for outsiders, corpers are easy targets for the violent radicals who see them as strangers and easy prey. Government has no plan for their safety and only reports sadly when things happen and we lose them. Why then should anyone serve? Service to a nation that doesn’t have your interests at heart is effort in futility. These days, it is commonplace to see graduates ‘work’ their posting to preferable states just because they value their lives and desire something profitable.
Since the original reasons for creating NYSC have proven to be of no use these days, can people be allowed to move on with their lives after graduation? Can they be allowed to pursue their dreams and desires rather than stay shackled by the prison called NYSC? Can they serve their nation with their talents; acquired and natural? Questions will keep being asked, the debates will rage on but until Nigeria realises that it has held back and derailed many as a result of this scheme, our nation shall remain a sleeping giant.
To all the new ‘Corpers,’ may God be with you.
-Kelvin Igbodo
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