NYSC: CULTURAL APPRECIATION By OMOKANYE DEBORAH OLUWATOMILAYO

The National Youth Service Corps scheme (NYSC) was established on May 22, 1973, with the purpose of fostering national unity and healing the nation that had just been rattled by the civil war. As a heterogeneous societal culture, it was essential for Nigeria to have a national program that would bring youths from all over the country together.

 Without any iota of doubt—over four decades after—the purpose of the NYSC scheme has been significantly achieved. It has helped the bonding of different cultures together and created one big family. The scheme is also not lagging in the aspect of ethic integration.

Many corps members, past and present, have acknowledged that they would not have known certain places if not for the NYSC programme. In fact, the first time some graduates travelled outside their states is when they have to heed the clarion call. Yoruba youths are posted to Igbo states, Igbo youths are posted to Yoruba states, Hausa youths are posted to non-Hausa states, etc.

This has made it possible for Nigerian youths to have a firsthand experience of other cultures and traditions. The NYSC programme makes it possible for Nigerian youths to know about the ways of life in other places. The programme has played its own part in inter-tribal marriages in Nigeria. Some corps members return home at the end of their Service year with their significant others, some of whom are from other tribes.

Also, in some cases, corps members marry indigents of their place of primary assignment, who, of course, are from other tribes. It is agreeable with common sense that inter-tribal cohabitation (not least intertribal marriage) encourages national unity and cultural appreciation.

Furthermore, the NYSC programme is strategically an avenue for graduates to be employed in other states. The probability of corps members to be employed where they served the nation, while not high, is also not low. Many corps members are employed in the state of their Service. This is another habitat for inter-tribal relations.

We should also not forget the place of friendship. Meaningful, lifelong friends are made during the Service year, all the way from orientation camps to place of primary assignments. We see Hausa youths making friends with Egbira youths, Efik youths making friends with Fulani youths, Ibibio youths befriending Yoruba youths, and so forth. Some of these friends become best of friends.

There have been calls for the NYSC scheme to be scrapped; there has been scepticism about the relevance of the scheme in the country today. However, one thing is certain, the NSYC programme has been a leading player in the promotion and appreciation of Nigerian cultures.

 

ABOUT THE WRITER

Omokanye Deborah Oluwatomilayo

OS/19B/1921