NYSC: THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH A STRONG NATIONAL CULTURE CAN BE BUILT

Due to the devastating condition of the country, one could say Nigeria is not a united nation. A big thanks however goes to the initiator and founder of NYSC Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) who had made it possible for us to have a fore taste of nationhood.

A nation comprises of people and these people are bonded by some factors which juxtaposes the manner of live or lifestyle they exhibit -This is called National culture.

National culture is the norms, behaviors, beliefs, customs, and values shared by the population of a sovereign nation. It refers to specific characteristics such as language, religion, ethnic and racial identity, cultural history and traditions.

According to the initiator, Adedeji, Nigeria, like most other African countries, Nigeria is known for her diversity. The diversity is evident in the culture, language, religion, belief, climate, natural resources, economic and social organizations of the people. 

One major issue that has been a constant source of challenge to Africa as a continent, and to Nigeria in particular is the huge diversity among the people, in their respective states. 

The inability of most African governments to effectively manage this heterogeneity has made the continent the perpetual seat of conflicts of all sorts. To be sure, the history of ethnic plurality in Africa in general, and Nigeria in particular has been traced to the colonial era, especially the period between 1884-1885. 

Consequently, the disparate ethnic groups, characterized by diversity in language, culture, belief and religion, have been incapable of burying their age long differences. This inability to rise above identity politics has thus remained one of the major causes and sources of conflict in the state of Nigeria today. 

National integration, particularly in plural societies, is a prerequisite for development as well as democratization. Hence, its absence in a nascent democracy like Nigeria will not only stall development, but also hinder the process of democratization. Ultimately it could lead to anarchy. This was the stimulant that birthed the movement of NYSC.

 NYSC over the years has done a lot to ensuring the sustenance of a national culture as well as unifying Nigeria. NYSC has being saddled with the responsibility of ensuring national integration. In an attempt to actualise this, NYSC has stretched her hands to ensure more benefits to the young graduates. Below are the benefits of the movement thus far.

UNITY: This is one of the objectives of the NYSC program. The purpose of the scheme is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian youths the spirit of selfless service to the community and emphasize the spirit of oneness and brotherhood of all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or social background. It has equally registered in the minds of many graduates especially those serving or have served previously that no cultural geographical entity can exist in isolation and the concept of nationalism is oneness regardless of the differences.

 As we related with one another within the stipulated three weeks in the orientation camp, we developed the right attitudes , acquired through shared experience and suitable training, which had made us more amenable to mobilization in the national interest.

SKILL: NYSC has contributed to the efforts of the government in reducing unemployment that has for many years characterized our nation and birthed terrorists and criminals on the streets. The NYSC scheme inculcates the act of making all graduates possess the spirit of self-reliance by encouraging them to develop skill for self-employment. So many graduates all over the federation have gotten a livelihood through the instrumentality of the NYSC SAED programs.

 I have seen friends who had neglected their certificates to pursue the skill learned in camp and professionalised during their service year. They are now employers living fine. I am not exempted. I am still learning my SAED even as I serve my country. NYSC equally ensure that employers are induced partly through their experience with members of the service corps to employ more readily and on a permanent basis qualified Nigerians irrespective of their state of origin. I know of two corps members who were retained after their service in Osun.

Preservation and interpretation of Culture: The scheme also uses this program to preserve, teach and add meaning to cultures of every region. There is also the CDS group called Art and Culture where the culture of the state or region is being taught and corps members who aren't indigenous to the land participate in some of the festivals and ceremonies after a while.

Interregional marriage: Family is the smallest unit of the society. That means the product of family are components of the society. Nigeria is a community of societies. Therefore, intertribal or interregional marriages as a result of the NYSC program is a great achievement. 

Over the years, youths from different states developed feelings for each other as they carry out their primary assignments. This intimacy for those that are matured was kept and ended in marriage. The beauty of this union is that the two states are represented and their children becomes citizens of both. 

Settlement in a new state: Some corps members who had no interest or even means of leaving their geographical sphere, were opportuned to travel far from homes and after their one year experience in service to their country, they decided to stay back and started businesses in their state of deployment. NYSC is one of the reasons for the mixture of tribes we see and enjoy in different states. There is no state in Nigeria you go that you would not see almost all the tribes in Nigeria residing there. Many of them relocated after the NYSC program.

Transculturalism: On camp, graduates are taught to eschew tribal intolerance by accommodating tribal differences; it gladdens my heart to say in the process of tolerating new cultures, we ended up falling in love with it and went extra mile to learn and practice it.

Therefore, we unconsciously embraced a new culture and became excited to share it with others. I have a lot of Igbos in the family house I stay and you need to see how competitive and happy they are learning Yoruba language and dressing .It reminded me of Wole Soyinka's "The Lion and The Jewel" whose theme is multiculturalism and transculturalism. This is one of the attributes of a nation.

Development of a national economy: NYSC has for years enhanced the economy of the nation, by the scheme which deals with equitable distribution of members of the service corps and the effective utilization of their skills in area of national needs. 

The NYSC is in partnership with the different stakeholders like the Bank of Industry, Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank, fidelity bank among others, which offers soft loans to corps members. These stakeholders made many of them become employers of labour and wealth creators today.

 My roommate here in Osun learned Apiculture (bee keeping) during our SAED on camp, now he is into production of honey for sales even while still serving. In our last conversation, he said " l plan on enlarging my production scale and exporting honey to foreign lands.

From the aforementioned achievement, it is imperative to note that the traces of democratization seen in our Country and the national integration we have are engineered by the scheme.

Hence, this nascent democracy in Nigeria wouldn't have gotten to this level without the NYSC program.

                          

Name: Okolo Joseph Adah

State code: OS/21A/2395

Discipline: Theatre arts

School: Kogi state university Anyigba

State: Kogi State

Tribe: igala