An advocacy group was on Wednesday, storms Abuja with a peaceful protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja to demand inclusion of skirts as part of the uniform for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Members of the group, comprising of young boys and girls, held banners with inscriptions like “#Serve with Skirts Movement”, “there is a difference between the world and the daughters of God”, “We cannot dress like the world”, “our sisters cannot dress like men. They should be decently covered”, among others, with some of the female members dressed in Khaki skirts.
According to the group, year after year, female corps members faces different kinds of harassments at orientation camps for refusing to wear skirts. This, they said, is a breach of their fundamental human rights under Section 38(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A leader of the group, Udochi Emmanuel, said the use of trousers is evoking immorality in the camps. In the 1970s and 1980s, she said, “we had our mothers wearing skirts and we want to go back to that.”

“We have asked for exemption (sic) severally. NYSC has not given that as an option, they have made it a compulsory one-year service for everyone below the age of 30 and they are mandated to wear those clothes.
“We have already started negotiations (with government) and we hope that from this dialogue we will get a favourable response,” she said.

They reacted to questions from newsmen about if their wish is not granted, “They may need to ask for redress in the court.”
A corps member, Patience Noble, who was part of the protest, told newsmen that she was posted to Ebonyi State for service and when she insisted on wearing skirt, she was asked to leave camp.
“As a citizen of my country, I have the right to serve the nation just like every other graduates has. They insisted that I wear this trouser or leave the camp. During the camp there were lots of insults and humiliation. One of military tore the skirts I was wearing on my body.”
The protest comes barely two months after two members of the 2019 NYSC Stream C in Ebonyi State, were sent home from camp for refusing to wear trousers.

The NYSC spokesperson in the state, Ngozi Ukwuoma, explained that when the duo were accosted and interrogated, they disclosed that they could not wear the white shorts and the trousers given to them by the NYSC since it was against their faith.
Efforts were, however, made by the office of the Camp Director to make them see reason why they must obey the rules and regulations guiding the orientation and NYSC, but all efforts to do that were futile, she said.
This act generated controversy among Nigerians as many were torn between allowing skirt as part of the NYSC uniform or not.

Although the NYSC act does not clearly state what the uniform should be, it only said the corps members should accept and wear whatever is given to them.
Section 3(1) (ix) of the NYSC bye-laws states that every corps member shall “wear the various uniforms provided for the activities.”
It also says “any member who refuses, fails or neglects to comply with this rule shall be tried by the Camp Court and, if found guilty, be liable to be decamped and sent out of the orientation camp.”

The Senate had in March 2018, rejected a bill to amend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act.

The bill was rejected following concerns that such amendment requires altering the constitution which requires a longer process.
Officials of the NYSC have, however, continued to admonish corps members to adhere to the laws of the Corps.

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I think NYSC should oblige.

With a condition that no female corper in skirt should by any chance give any excuse for not participating in any camp activities on account of not wearing trousers.

NYSC members are viewed as paramilitary personnel, that is why it is headed by a military officer. Accordingly, all prospective corp members should understand that NYSC camp is not a place for picnic. It involves some mild unpleasant military activities including crossing of obstacles and endurance trek.

Rubbish

Nysc is not by force...

If you can't comply with the rules just for one year.... Kindly Stay at home

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Simplyleo:
I think NYSC should oblige

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Simplyleo:
I think NYSC should oblige

Instead of youths to protest against insecurity..hunger ... Unemployment and poverty in the land

They are more interested in wearing skirts ...

Shame on Africa

Simplyleo:
I think NYSC should oblige

Me too. But they might be afraid someone would come and claim their own skirt must be a burqa so they need to thread carefully.

Perhaps only oblige those who wore a skirt or burqa during uni. They must produce a letter from their HOD.

ZombieTERROR:


Instead of youths to protest against insecurity..hunger ... Unemployment and poverty in the land

They are more interested in wearing skirts ...

Shame on Africa

You can go and do the protest. Are you not a youth? At least ipob miscreants are waiting in the wings to be invited for such protest, so you have that is required to start it.

Simplyleo:


NYSC members are viewed as paramilitary personnel, that is why it is headed by a military officer.

These Police were viewed as proper Police at one time.

[s]

Simplyleo:

You can go and do the protest. Are you not a youth? At least ipob miscreants are waiting in the wings to be invited for such protest, so you have that is required to start it.

[/s]

[s]

Simplyleo:
I think NYSC should oblige.

With a condition that no female corper in skirt should by any chance give any excuse for not participating in any camp activities on account of not wearing trousers.

NYSC members are viewed as paramilitary personnel, that is why it is headed by a military officer. Accordingly, all prospective corp members should understand that NYSC camp is not a place for picnic. It involves some mild unpleasant military activities including crossing of obstacles and endurance trek.

[/s]

Simplyleo:

You can go and do the protest. Are you not a youth? At least ipob miscreants are waiting in the wings to be invited for such protest, so you have that is required to start it.

Sai barber

And People where actually happy when you were born ..... SMH

Daft move I'd say!
.. I think the relative liberty of expression enjoyed in this country should be handled with a strong sense of reason, or why don't female members of the military and paramilitary forces embark on a similar protest?

ZombieTERROR:



Sai barber

And People where actually happy when you were born ..... SMH

And someone actually wasted money thinking he was paying school fees.

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Simplyleo:

And someone actually wasted money thinking he was paying school fees.

[/s]

If muslim female corp members are allowed to wear hijab, their christian counterparts should also be allowed to put on skirt.

Then mini skirts will start appearing ?

There must have been good reason skirts was banned.

I am disappointed that of all the issues going on in Africa, this what the young ladies chose to protest about.

Simplyleo:

And someone actually wasted money thinking he was paying school fees.

I'm not the one supporting a certificateless cattle rearer as his President

ZombieTERROR:


I'm not the one supporting a certificateless cattle rearer as his President

Stale.

At least the certificateless cattle reared has never murdered English the way you just did, even with the certificate you bought through Miracle Centre

Simplyleo:

Stale.
At least the certificateless cattle reared has never murdered English the way you just did, even with the certificate you bought through Miracle Centre

I don't speak zombie......

[s]

Simplyleo:

Stale.

At least the certificateless cattle reared has never murdered English the way you just did, even with the certificate you bought through Miracle Centre

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