Where were we? (Part 1)

Where were we, when things got this bad, was the question when the final mobilization list for the batch ‘C’ 2011 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme came out across various institution in Nigeria, a scheme that was established over 30 years ago to promote national unity and transfer of skills by young graduate after spending a minimum of 3 years at their various ivory towers, acquiring knowledge and building character.

The drama that ensued when corps members saw their posting to the Northern part of the country, even those that schooled there or were either born and brought-up in that same vicinity; families that have been fasting and praying for the 3-9 months presiding the final mobilization for the one (1) year compulsory scheme, those that do not have the connection or because of their religious faith, leaves all to God to decide for a favourable posting; when their loved ones started calling….daddy, mummy, uncle, anty, bros, sis, love, darling….its Bornoooooooooo!, Yobeeeeeeeee! Jos…ooooooo! there was commotion, some started questioning their God, some decided its Batch ‘A’, it was only men and women of strong will, that said ‘all to Jesus I surrender’, all the fear is due to no other reason than the ‘child of necessity’ called ‘Boko Haram’.

I apportion no blame to families that were scared, because if the chief security officers of their to be host communities themselves are scared to death, what will be of these ‘little’ ones that do not have both the political and financial wit to outsmart an ‘unseen’ enemy of the state.   Of a truth, the socio-economic situ in the country is not looking good for now either because we are governed by men who have no human empathy or forgot that they once had no shoes, or religious hypocrite or we the governed do not know that the leaders are supposed to be afraid of the electorate, even at that it gives us no excuse to keep developing an attitude of negligence on issues of National interest.

As yours faithfully enrolled to serve the Nation for the next one year, I saw a scheme just following routine, even with the noise of reform, following the general election crisis that affected some corps members; the scheme seriously need urgent infrastructural input like well-equipped orientation camps, accommodation during service year; the issue of age cheat is a thing of concern, when jobs are not available you see men above 30yrs saying they are 22yrs. Another thing I saw that scared me was not the fear of Boko haram; it was the fear of ‘half-baked’ (without character) graduate I interacted with, young men/women not real to their environment, people leaving in outer space, a world they have created for themselves!

Hmmm! As I end this thought with a challenge to the government and the NYSC under the leadership of Brig. Gen. N.T Okore-Affia whom I saw twice from a close range, I saw him to be a man of few words and action, (left for him to prove me right), if they must deliver on the corporate statement of the scheme which is “to develop a scheme that is dynamic enough to meet new challenges and become the leading light of youth organisations in Africa….to mobilize and groom graduate youths for the promotion of National Unity, Sustainable development, Self-reliance and Prepare them for the challenges of leadership”  then it must not be as it was in the beginning, now and ever shall it be without end…the way the scheme is runned now can never achieve that goal.

….to be continued (Next thought will cover my input to the reforms needed)