DAVIDO’S BEHAVIOUR FURTHER SHOWS WHY NYSC SHOULD BE SCRAPPED OR REFORMED

Two years ago in the 8th of June 2016, I wrote an open letter to the federal government on the need to either scrap the NYSC Scheme of reform it from ground up and it got published on Naijaloaded which generated about 208 comments with about 40% of them being what I consider ‘hate comments’ even though I was totally open and proffered solutions in my letter (http://www..ng/news/open-letter-fg-scrap-nysc). This letter was also published on about 50 other blogs.

I HAVE COME AGAIN – AND MY STANCE IS STILL THE SAME

Now what Davido did is not entirely new in the system it just got more publicity because he is ‘Davido’. People have been flouting the NYSC scheme for years only coming for registration and then on the day of the passing out for camp to collect their posting letter which is mostly influenced to their place of choice.

I remember going to camp in 2017 and on the first day I saw this really fresh guy who came from registration with a convoy of police men and ‘delegates’ (as if they were on a trip to China). He jumped queue and left camp immediately he had been captured – I was angry and I just went to the room I put my luggage to sleep – on getting there, my things were missing including the bed I had secured (I later found my two bags scattered in different ends of the room but I didn’t find my bed again). We were like 400+ of us in one room which was stinking from different type of breadths (smokers, alcoholics etc).

David Adeleke could have experienced these first hand and then write a song about it to draw the attention of the world to the decaying Scheme – just like Falz did with ‘this is Nigeria’. He could have used his voice to fight for the common man to ensure that reformation of the scheme was top priority. Sega Awosanya doesn’t have half of Davido’s popularity yet was still able to pull off the #EndSARS campaign alongside supports from other areas – Davido has failed to help the course of the average Nigerian Youth.

Listen, I’m not even very angry with Davido, nah! Not at all. I am angry with the officials of NYSC to let this happen. Registering in camp and taking off to another country the next day – amidst a very widely publicized showing up in camp and a string of events in USA starting with a show in Boston. I know some Davido fans will attack me, I’m not angry at his success, if I were in his shoes I’d do the same it is now the duty of the authority to STOP me!

The guys at NYSC have missed a big opportunity to stamp their relevance to the cause of Nigerian youths by letting Davido off just like that. I mean the talk would have been ‘Even Davido as rich as he is came to serve’, the NYSC could have totally controlled the narrative with a press release before Davido even left the camp at all to explain why he has to leave camp – that would have made more sense.

A LIST OF THINGS DAVIDO COULD HAVE SEEN

The shitty food that is usually served: I know the NYSC camp in Lagos is by far better to all the other states. I served in Akwa-Ibom and everyday a cow will be killed but when the food is served you’ll find fish in your cooler/plate. I didn’t eat the food tho (I don’t even collect it) except on Sundays when they serve hot water disguised as tea.

The mattress disguised mats: If you have never seen where a mat is called a mattress you should probably visit some NYSC camps – you will cry for help. Don’t give me any of that ‘it is a training sh*t’ coz I might end up slapping you (a magical hand will come out of your screen to slap you).

Don’t even get me started on what they call morning drills – absolutely useless and ineffective
Uncontrolled mami-market: Some of the vendors here are not monitored. These ones cook food with bad/dirty water then sell at higher rates than applicable outside the camp.

Basically, the scheme is not organized at all!

Should we talk about the alawee? Absolutely not…

Oh, fu*k it, let’s just talk about this once again.

How on earth do you expect a grown ass human being survive on 19,800 per month, how? If it is even saved for the whole period it is not able to rent an apartment in some states, what am I saying? It cannot pay agency and agreement fees in Lagos.

Davido had the chance to actually influence something but he blew it.

I am Adebusoye Ademola, @iamthatgeorge on all Social Media Platforms.

Op, weep no more! The summary of what's happening is the song you referenced, this is Nigeria.

And truly, this is Nigeria.

Indeed! This is Nigeria