Why I Hate NYSC And The Gimmick Of Its Creation

In those days - when at Secondary School - when I saw young people with milk-coloured khaki, with a light touch of green, I reverend them like gods and goddesses; secretly, I wished I would become a corp member someday. I wished I would wear the Khaki, the orange shoes with black rubber guild at the front, the white t-shirt and the face-cap with NYSC logo.

But now, as my service year draws closer by the day, I realize that all the yearnings those past years were out of ignorance of what forms the foundation of this 'hallowed' NYSC. I am glad though that I have finally been able to dig deep into the scheme and reveal governmental mismanagement it hid from our sunlit gaze for over four decades now.

According to the gimmick of its creation: ''The NYSC scheme was created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war. The unfortunate antecedents in our national history gave impetus to the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps by decree No.24 of 22nd May 1973 which stated that the NYSC is being established "with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity".

Speaking truthfully, a failed Gowon had created NYSC because of the increasing number of graduates his government could not provide employment for despite the oil boom of the early seventies. In order for his government to escape the embarrassment, NYSC was carved out to deceive the timid youth that there were jobs; but only that they should serve their 'dear' nation while placements were being prepared for them. Once done, some corps members got employed through shear luck or influence while others realized too late and still unknowingly that they had been deceived.

There is no basis for NYSC. Apart from the fact that it has failed in actualizing the unity which its creator claimed to be the reason for its creation, it is no longer interesting, as facilities and stipends paid no longer meet up with changing times. It should be scraped to stop all these sufferings all in the name of one big joke called NYSC,