A REVIEW OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE NYSC SCHEME IN ACHIEVING NATIONAL UNITY SINCE 1973

 

By every conceivable standard, Nigeria is a country that is richly blessed in human and material resources. Like many other African states, Nigeria’s human endowment is a conglomeration of different ethnic groups.

 The need for peaceful co-existence and perhaps, sustainable development among these diverse cultures prompted the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates in 1914.

After the Nigerian Civil War ended in 1970, as part of the “3R” program—reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation—the government created the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to bridge ethnic and religious divisions in Nigeria and to foster the spirit of Nigerian nationalism. General Yakubu Gowon, the military head of state at the time, created the NYSC as one of many ways to achieve national unity in Nigeria.

 The program is a mandatory one-year service to the country after the completion of a first degree for youths below the age of thirty. Participation is a prerequisite for admission into graduate schools and employment in Nigeria.

Doubts have shrouded the essence of the National Youth Service Corps. While some sections question its relevance, others uphold that the scheme which has lasted for more than four decades contribute in no small measure to unity, peace and progress.

The question that thus arises is, has the NYSC been successful in achieving its main objective of “developing common ties among the Nigerian youths and promoting national unity and integration?” 

Despite all its faults, the answer is still Yes, to some extent. By posting “corps members” to unfamiliar places in order to interact with people from different backgrounds, the NYSC brings together Nigerian youths from different socio-economic and ethno-religious backgrounds. This has helped to bridge the ethnic and religious divisions in the nation by providing exposure to other ethnic groups, which is a positive step towards building a stronger nation. 

Moreover, the scheme aids social integration by providing opportunities for cross cultural interaction that has led to inter-tribal marriages; such marriages so far are innumerable helping to reduce inter-ethnic stereotypes, prejudice and suspicions that were prevalent during the period after the war. 

The scheme further serves as an employment buffer by offering employment to recently graduated youths, as some places of deployments retain the “corps members,” irrespective of their ethnic groups thereby, aiding economic integration in the country.

 In like manner, the Community Development Service (CDS) programme which is one of the four cardinal programmes of the NYSC scheme has helped Corps Members undertake developmental activities during their one year of national service to improve their host communities in one way or the other. It is one of the requirements of the Nigerian youths to participate in Community Development Service as part of their contribution to developing the country.

CDS groups such as the Corps Legal Aid Group (CLAG) provide free legal services to the less privileged and indigent prison inmates (victims of denials and violation of rights), Environmental Protection And Sanitation Group (NEMA/NESREA vanguard) promote and sustain healthy environment, Education Development Group (Mass Literacy, Adult Education, Extra Murals ICT) enhance the education standard of the host community and the editorial cds which has helped to provide publicity to all other groups as well as partnering with the NYSC press and public relations unit effective communication of the scheme's intent to the world.

These activities are all geared towards national unity as corps members who are indigenes of different ethnic groups who perform these duties in a community they are not indigenes of. 

Conclusively, for all of Nigeria's existence, ethnic and religious differences have been too frequently weaponised by those seeking to obtain or retain political power.

 Given this history, expecting a program to bring national unity is a tall order, one that NYSC has struggled to fill.

 Some would argue that Nigeria is no more united now than it was in 1973 when NYSC was created. Even if this were true, it is an invalid comparison.

 What we should be asking is: would Nigeria today be less united if NYSC did not exist? That question may be difficult to answer, but looking abroad could lend us some perspective.

With the renewed agitation for the secession of Biafra, the need for the NYSC remains high and illuminates the fact that the scheme is far from achieving its mission of fostering national integration.

 Based on the design of the NYSC, it is a good scheme and a great avenue to promote nationalism in Nigeria. The program has a lofty objective and has achieved some positive goals. Even with all its mistakes, there is still hope for the Nigerian Youth Service Corps, but it is crucial that it be reviewed, updated, and better managed in order to preserve and strengthen the cause of national unity.

Akpa Victor Ebere

 OS/21A/0093

Psychology