The traditional rulers of Odigbo and Ore communities of Odigbo local government area in Ondo State have lauded the initiative of corps members serving within the council area.
The Orunja of Odigbo, Osebayo Adetula Akinloye, and the Olore of Ore, Olatomide Johnson, eulogised the corps members for providing and donating 500 pieces of protective face masks to their subjects.
The two kings represented by the Orunja of Odigbo, Osebayo Adetula Akinloye, said that the initiative of the corps members was worth emulating.
The monarch asserted that the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, was the best programme that had ever happened in Nigeria.
He lauded the managers of the scheme for ensuring that corps members’ efforts were channeled towards community development.
Addressing the corps members before the commencement of the distribution in the two communities, the State Coordinator, NYSC, Ondo State, Mrs. Grace Akpabio, said that posterity would not forget them for the sacrifices they were making to give their best to the society.
Akpabio said that NYSC was happy that the corps members were living the ideals of the scheme by ploughing back part of what they gained to advance the cause of humanity especially during the period of COVID -19.
She said that the management of NYSC will not relent at creating enabling environment for members of the service corps to achieve their lofty dreams during the service year.
The NYSC boss who was represented by the Local Government Inspector, Mr. Samuel Olufemi Awe, said that the corps members should continue to exhibit leadership qualities that the scheme expected from them always.
The corps members had keyed into the directives from Directorate Headquarters to make their impact felt at their respective communities to support the government to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic from spreading like harmattan fire to all nooks and crannies of the country.
The patriotic Nigerians, despite Federal Government’s social distancing order engaged themselves through online platforms, and embarked on voluntary donation drive to make their plans a reality.
The sensitisation which preceded the donation was handled by a corps doctor, Deborah Kufeji, while distribution of the protective face masks to the indigenes and residents took place at T-Junction Cross Road, Ore, Orita-Odigbo and New Town axis, Odigbo.
The beneficiaries, represented by Alhaji Otuyiga, the Odofin of Ore while describing the move as commendable and historic, appreciated the corps members for their humanitarian gesture aimed at reducing the COVID -19.
The Local Government Inspector disclosed that the corps members were willing to go into production of antiseptic hand sanitisers and liquid soaps as soon as they had enough financial resources to prosecute the assignment.
