The issue of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) has generated endless reactions and social media waves. Do you still remember Madam Kemi Adeosun, ex-finance minister? If not, it is understandable - there are myriads of Nigerian problems which dangerously prevent us from concentrating on any for a long time.

What about the young man who showed us what it meant to be baddest as his thrilling presence caused the law to lose its supremacy. Mind you, it did not start with Kemigate or Davido and didn’t end there as well; we seem to be in the era of NYSC and certificate scandals. Thanks to the rising political tension ahead of 2019 election; Adebayo Shittu now has a case.

With time, we would be facing bazillions of other dubious profiles. However, the popularity and increased attention this time around seems to be caused by the ‘who’ involved. Students of News writing 101 would recall that when a dog bites a man, it is no news; when a man bites a dog, it is news; and when a prominent man is bitten by a dog, it is news. Yet, there are many culprits.

Let’s start by examining the truthful role of the scheme especially in the face of our multi-ethnic diversities. Between 1973 and 2018, hasn’t post-modernism helped us realize that some things need to change?  It may be argued by some that NYSC is a waste of time, should they be asked to state why. Among them are people who would have loved to be somewhere else after graduation but could not; only the few who could have their way with the law did so.

The ones confident enough to say damn you to embrace an open opportunity to live and study abroad did so. The ones in this last category do not even now think they want to return to the land of their birth. Recent issues have taught some that there is no good milk to suck at the chest of the motherland.

On the other hand, most are likely to argue otherwise. Experience is an open field; we all do not place values on the same things. I know one or two persons who have been saved from unemployment due to the skills acquired during service.

Meanwhile, though we may not face it, one of the objectives of this scheme is fast dissipating. It may not be absolute for all but many have before, been to these states where they were posted to. Many have even within the four walls of higher institutions, met people of various ethnic background from across the country.

These may not be enough reasons but the youth service scheme with its provisions that answers to the powerful negates the realities of life and should either be scrapped or made optional before the ones who should return home all get pushed back.

Did anyone think Adeosun is the loser here? She should by now, be enjoying the best moment of her life and probably be busy with many progressive opportunities. And what is it about calling for due prosecution? Let the system persecute itself first for clearly allowing David Adeleke (Davido) to flout the rules.

It is rather surprising that Davido could have his way with the law that establishes the service scheme. But what? There are a number of youths who did not serve in person. Some broke the leg of the law to redeploy to a state of their choice. Some were supposed to be in A but they were running their business in C and so; someone stands in for them based on arrangement and get a larger part of their allawee at the end of the month.

You must have heard about them? You know someone like that, right? Are you not one? Let he who is not culpable first stone Davido.

This time someone was bold enough to make his contribution to bad leadership and followership public. Let the young man follow his trade. Let no law made by man hinder his pursuit. But then, Davido has revealed enough fault in the system.

A system which breaks its laws for a few should rather leave the door ajar for all who have serious businesses to mind elsewhere? While it may seem Davido had his way because of who he is but are there no other uncountable scandals unrevealed which even the ones who ought to guard the rules of the scheme have helped to break at a price below or above #19,800.

Let us stop pretending that we are law abiding citizens. If Davido could enter the camp with a car and muscled men, leave the camp for a tour; no one should lose a job, should shelve his or her business enterprise because of a nonsensical one-year-service which only awards a certificate that is no guarantee for employment.

This is article is not in any way propagating for disrespect for the rule of law in case it still exists. It is a call to examine a scheme and other institutions without teeth which have emboldened a lot of unlawful acts which if investigated, would reveal not only bad leadership but also bad followership. Enough of this scapegoat affair. The scheme should be scrapped or adjusted.

Read More on https://thenovita.com/nysc-a-case-of-many-toothless-institutions/

Scrapping is not the issue here; it is enforcement. Nigeria is country having difficulty enforcing laws due to the great divide between the elite and the masses . So in my opinion, we can only pray that God would give us a revolution as he gave France in 1789