To our friends in national service, the youth corps, who have given due honour to the prestigious call of service to fathers' land, we felicitate with you as you mark your discharge day in the scheme which culminated in today's historic POP.

Defying all odds, heightened social disharmony, simmering ethnic bias and the obviously loose National Security, you waded in into the 'jungle', forgiving the gross attitudinal neglect of the heads that claim to lead with perverse altruism, to contribute your quota to the betterment of your country and a more egalitarian society as you've sworn to pursue. Bravo to the courageous youth.

In your desire to explore, propelled by youthful enthusiasm and budding exuberance which led you out fearlessly in the first place, you are believed to have been armed with the requisite weaponry to navigate the uncharted waters of life through your experiences in the service year.

You are thereby urged, with especial earnestness, to keep potent that persistent but healthy youthful drive as an undying reminder to always channel this powerful formative instinct into creative directions in a natural flow, and not to render it wastefully in nervy indulgences afterglow.

To the fallen heroes and heroines, of the past and of the present, goes out our posthumous commendation. And conversely, too, our heartfelt commiseration to their friends and family to whom they were beloved. We extend this again to the loving memory of the recently departed students of OOU who lost their lives in a tragic accident, bringing to an abrupt end destinies of otherwise promising youngsters of brimful vitality, all in a search for meaning to life.

Hence the words: ''We are nothing but pencils in the hand of the Creator.''
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