Joseph Bakare
The pioneer Chief Executive of the National Youth Service Corps, Colonel Ahmadu Ali (Rtd), has asserted that the Scheme has come to stay.
Ali made this assertion while interacting with the incumbent Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, when the later visited him at his Abuja home.
Ahmadu Ali said that through its programmes, services, and positive nationwide visibility, in over five decades, the NYSC had continued to endear itself to the Nigerian people and advance cause for its perpetual existence.
Colonel Ali, the then National Director (now renamed Director-General) of the NYSC commended General Yakubu Gowon for his visionary leadership, part of which was the establishment of the NYSC in 1973, adding that it was an enduring programme with continued relevance.
The first NYSC Chief Executive explained that the NYSC was fostering national unity in no small measure. In his words, “people have the privilege to go to other states which ordinarily they wouldn’t have”.
He reiterated that the NYSC provided young Nigerians with coping mechanisms, which they acquired outside their comfort zones, thereby increasing their tolerance for one another.
Colonel Ali further applauded managers of the Scheme for helping to sustain the vision of the founding fathers.
He expressed pride in the NYSC, noting that the initial scepticism by Nigerian graduates which led to protest against the establishment of the Scheme had now been replaced by anticipation and excitement. He pledged to continually pray for its continued sustainability
The Director-General NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, said the visit was informed by the need to pay homage to him as the pioneer Chief Executive of the NYSC, in acknowledgement of the solid foundation he had laid at its inception that has continued to ensure the Scheme’s stability, over 50 years after it’s establishment.
General Nafiu commended Ali for his administrative savvy, dexterity, and wisdom in navigating the initial challenges of the NYSC at Inception, adding that the Scheme remained indebted to him for his enduring leadership qualities.