What is NYSC?

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is an organization set up by the Nigerian government to involve the country's graduates in the development/Unity of the country.

Started in 1973 after the civil war known as Biafra war,by Military Decree No. 24 with the
purported goal of promoting "National unity"

There is no military conscription in Nigeria , but since 1973 graduates of universities and later polytechnics have been required to take part in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program for one year.

Corp members are posted to cities far from their city of origin, although this posting has recently been marred with series of favouritism. They are expected to mix with people of other tribes, social and family backgrounds, to learn the culture of the indigenes in the place they are posted to. This action is aimed at bringing about unity in the country and to help youths appreciate other ethnic groups. There is an "orientation" period of approximately three weeks spent in a military controlled boot "camp" away from family and friends. There is also a "passing out ceremony" at the end of the year and primary assignment followed by one month of vacation.

Objectives Of The Scheme

The objectives of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme are clearly spelt out in Decree No.51 of 16th June 1993 as follows

1. To inculcate discipline in Nigerian youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry at work, and of patriotic and loyal service to Nigeria in any situation they may find themselves.
2. To raise the moral tone of the Nigerian youths by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievement, social and cultural improvement
3. To develop in the Nigerian youths the attitudes of mind, acquired through shared experience and suitable training. which will make them more amenable to mobilisation in the national interest
4. To enable Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self reliance by encouraging them to develop skills for self employment
5. To contribute to the accelerated growth of the national economy
6. To develop common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national unity and integration
7. To remove prejudices, eliminate ignorance and confirm at first hand the many similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups
8. To develop a sense of corporate existence and common destiny of the people of Nigeria.
9. The equitable distribution of members of the service corps and the effective utilisation of their skills in area of national needs
10. That as far as possible, youths are assigned to jobs in States other than their States of origin
11. That such group of youths assigned to work together is as representative of Nigeria as far as possible
12. That the Nigerian youths are exposed to the modes of living of the people in different parts of Nigeria
13. That the Nigerian youths are encouraged to eschew religious intolerance by accommodating religious differences
14. That members of the service corps are encouraged to seek at the end of their one year national service, career employment all over Nigeria, thus promoting the free movement of labour
15. 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 States of origin.

killings of corps members

Several youths carrying out the NYSC program have been killed in the regions they were sent to due to religious violence, ethnic violence or political violence.

2004 Kano riot 3 corp members were killed.

2011 Post election violence 20 Youth Corp Members were killed in three days of rioting in 12 northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.

Many corp members also lost thier lives in road accidents in the process of moving to their posted locations.

Nigeria Unity

First, Nigeria is simply unified, but not united. There is not a single element in Nigeria, not even an issue as important as citizenship that provides us any evidence of unity.
What holds us together is a chain binding us in bondage, not a cord holding us together as one. In a united country there should be no “settler” and no “indigene”; there would simply be Nigerians enjoying equal rights of citizenship and protection wherever they reside and whatever their religion.
What a Northern leader called Lugard’s “mistake of 1914” merely created what a South West leader called “a mere geographical expression”. We have, since then, worked hard not to forge unity out of it but to emphasise our difference while pretending otherwise.
Is it a sign of unity that Boko Haram and people like Joseph Waku should ask certain Nigerians to leave the North on account of their religion and ethnic origin? Incidentally the same states that Gideon Orka and associates kicked out of Nigeria in April 1990 today constitute Boko Haram’s sultanate. Why are we missing the coincidence? Why do we keep pretending that Nigeria is a united country?


Questions

1.What are the benefits of NYSC? N19500 Monthly allowance?

2.Is Nigeria a united country

3.From the objectives above,how many have we achieved as a country?

NYSC that made me resign my job.... And they have postponed it till month end... But thank God i have been called back to work with another company but less pay than the previous one... All this na for man to avoid staying at home....

I'm a product of a Northern dad and southern mum, who met through the NYSC. A lot of southerners were weaned of their stereotypical views of the North only through the scheme and vice versa. Though it has faced its challenges which are not unexpected in a diverse country like ours, it is an understatement that the scheme has united rather than divided Nigerians.

One Nigeria.

Nysc is a failure. It is just a way of further separating the rich from the poor. Children of the rich enjoy through it and make their choices all the way, others are used to pack up the dirts therein.
Nysc is useless in every area and should be scrapped right away

Only TRUTH, JUSTICE, EQUALITY brings UNITY not NYSC or FOOTBALL or shouting ONE Nigeria from morning to night. but unfortunately Nigeria lacks all that 3 strong qualities.

Do you know how many intertribal marriages have occurred because of the NYSC programme? My fiancée and I met during NYSC she is from the north and I'm Yoruba. Such a thing could never have happened otherwise and there are thousands of similar stories all over the country.

Pls who can give a valid account to what happens to the deductions made on behalf of NYSC FOUNDATION I gave it a thought when I saw my nysc foundation id.

NYSC is trash for me,I served in a trashy area in sokoto,the sun for there,fit boil yam.