24th May, 2011
One of ugly memories of 2011 general elections was the killing of 10 National Youth Service Corps members in the northern states of Bauchi and Kaduna.
Shortly before the final announcement of President Goodluck Jonathan Ebele of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 16 April 2011 presidential election, some youths in the North allegedly sympathetic to Gen Muhammadu Buhari of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), especially Kaduna, Kastina, Bauchi, Kano and many more states had gone on the rampage to protest what they perceived was rigging of the election by PDP.
By the time the dust settled, 10 NYSC members were brutally murdered and scores inflicted with various degree of injuries. The outrage and condemnation that greeted the mayhem was enormous.
State governments, especially in the Southern part of the country whose children were affected, hurriedly evacuated them from the troubled states.
As expected different reactions have trailed the ugly incident with some calling for outright cancellation of the scheme. Others reasoned that to avoid the unnecessary loss of lives in hands of street urchins who are ready-made tools in the hands of extreme religious and political leaders, NYSC candidates should serve in their respective geopolitical zones or at best their states of origin.
When the one year mandatory NYSC scheme was introduced in 1973 by the then Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, its sole aim was for national integration and cohesion. It was designed that every Nigerian youth below the age of 30 on graduating from tertiary institutions, would serve in a state other than his or her state of origin.
Hence it was easy to see someone from Maiduguri going to serve in a far away state of Cross River. Someone from Ogbomosho in Oyo State would temporarily abandon his cherished Amala and Ewedu soup to taste Akpu and bitter leaf soup in far away Nsukka in Enugu State . It will also expose the person among other things to the food, culture, language and lifestyle of his host community.
Since NYSC members usually converged for a month-long orientation programme before being assigned to their places of primary assignment, it afforded them the opportunity to interact, socialise, integrate and exchange ideas. It was really fun to look out for by intending NYSC members.
On the social angle, some people who never imagined that they will choose their life partners outside their tribe, met, fell in love and on many occasions went against their parents’ orders and married such persons.
It has also served as bridging gap for parents who have spent so much to train their wards. In other words, the one year service period allowed such fresh graduates to work, acquire extra skills and save money they earned during the period of job searching lasted. In some instances, some whom their services were so much appreciated were retained as permanent staff at the end of the service year.
As all aspects of Nigeria system keep drifting down the hill so also the noble NYSC service. First, those who have connection chose the place they want to serve instead of going to where they were posted. It is the children of the not-too-connected that are made to go the distant places to do their service. And that negated the spirit an letter of the NYSC programme.
Also, as religious and ethnic intolerance become the order of the day, corps members who are posted to such intolerant communities or states fall victims. There was an incident where a female corps member from Akwa Ibom State was gang-raped to death in Bauchi State. Nothing came out of the investigation let alone the perpetrator being punished.
In March this year, the Alowa Ilowa-Ijesa in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Adebukola Alli, allegedly raped 24-year-old Corps member, Miss Hellen Okpara from Abia State, who was posted to serve in his state. He had lured the lady on the pretext of wanting her to assist him with computer work right in his domain. We only hope that the said Oba Adebukola Alli, will not be given soft landing because of what some may argue as traditional stool he’s occupying.
If he desecrated his revered position, nothing should be spared in punishing him adequately and according to the laws of the land.
If IMF Managing Director, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, could be facing his current travails for attempting to rape female staff in a hotel he lodged, Oba Adebukola Alli should be made to pay for his grievous misconduct if found guilty. Rights activists and NGOs are calling for full prosecution of the randy Oba.
Those who call for total cancellation of the programme may not be wrong considering the grave dangers being faced by NYSC members in the hands of those who sometimes never appreciated education in the first instance.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State said last week his government cannot cross its hands and allow their children murdered in cold blood. Former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar, argued that instead of scrapping the programme, it should be reviewed to meet with the realities of today’s Nigeria.
If those who are calling for total cancellation have their way, it would automatically put a seal on the division Nigeria has been trying to avoid. A public commentator recently said instead of government scrapping the programme, it should have the will to discipline those who murdered these innocent members of NYSC in Bauchi and Kaduna. That will no doubt prevent future occurrences and also instill confidence in Nigerians that the government has the capacity to protect their lives and property wherever they may choose to live.
The idea of sweeping investigations under the carpet in fear of not instigating further crisis should stop forthwith. If the authority can brazenly undermine people’s wish in the manner they rig elections, nothing stops them from expending such energy in bringing to book those who commit or sponsor dastardly act against their fellow citizens.
If you restrict people from serving in places other than own, what happens to non-indigenes who live, work, and do business in such places? How about the benefits of interacting with people of other ethnic backgrounds which in most cases have resulted in long-lasting friendship many may still be enjoying till today?Have these group calling for total scrapping of the scheme thought of the manpower NYSC programme has helped to shore up, especially in some states where there is shortage of qualified teachers both at primary and secondary schools?
The next batch of NYSC members would earn as much as N18,000 as monthly allowance when the Federal Government would have started implementing a new minimum wage. The pay package won’t be a bad start for someone who has just finished school till when he had done his mandatory one year service and got a full time job.
•Joshua Igbani writes from Lagos