The governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has charged corps members to actualise the vision of the founding fathers or the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, by working towards the development of the country.
The governor made the call in his address during the official opening ceremony and swearing-in ceremony for the 2024 Batch ‘C’ (Stream 1) corps members deployed to Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, said that members of the service corps should brace all odds and give their best to the nation.
According to the governor, corps members faced a greater challenge to prove that the future of Nigeria and coming generations woule be secured in their hands.
He enjoined them to re-dedicate themselves and brace up for the tasks ahead, adding that they would be exposed to the daunting, arduous but fulfilling challenges of national development.
Aiyedatiwa said that the period of their induction into national service was a time of sober reflection on the evolution of the country and their roles as catalysts for the much needed national rebirth and re-construction.
The special guest of honour, however, admonished them to eschew all forms of negative tendencies and rededicate themselves, with all vigour to the tasks of bringing about positive changes.
The governor assured corps members that their welfare and security would be adequately taken care of during their service year.
The governor, who recently won the gubernatorial election for a four year fresh mandate, promised that his administration would continue to support the NYSC in the state at all times to ensure that the corps members had a memorable service year.
READ ALSO: Institute of Leadership Coaching and Strategy holds maiden induction
Aiyedatiwa declared open the orientation course, with a call to the new entrants into the scheme to take a cue from their predecessors and be selfless and remain patriotic citizens of Nigeria during and after the service year.
In her welcome address, Ondo State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Kuburat Omowumi Bakare, informed the corps members that the orientation course had been packaged to, among other things, introduce them to the objectives and programmes of the NYSC scheme.
She equally added that the three weeks induction was meant to prepare them for the challenges of service year and post-service life, as well as acquaint them with their new socio-cultural environment as corps members.
Bakare disclosed that while on camp, they would be introduced to series of extra-curricular camp activities including lectures on tradition and culture of the Yorubas, leadership, entrepreneur, parade Drills, Man ‘O’ War Training, Social and Cultural activities, Sports, Inter-Platoon Skills Acquisition competition amongst others.
She encouraged the local governments, corporate citizens and well-meaning Nigerians and philanthropists as well as other stakeholders to invest in the infrastructural development of the Permanent Orientation Camp and make their presence felt in the by having a project ‘which we promise to name after such entity’.
According to her, the camp lacked adequate hostel accommodation to house corps members and camp officials, and this has been hampering effective service delivery to the members of the service corps.
While thanking the governor for his love for youth development, especially his commitment to upgrade the camp facilities and structures, she announced that as at the time of official cut-off, a total number of 1244 made up of 567 males and 677 females had registered for service in Ondo State.
The administration of Oath of Allegiance on the registered corps members was performed by the representative of the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Bankole Akinwunmi, who charged them to be proud of their fatherland.
Akinwunmi equally admonished them to genuinely identify themselves with the problems and aspirations of the people of the areas in which they would work.
