The Director of the Procurement Department of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, Chief Chinwendu Ogbonannaya Chukwu, has charged members of the service corps to sustain the unity and integration of the country as bequeathed by the founding fathers of the scheme.
Chukwu made the charge while addressing the 2023 Batch ‘B’ (Stream 1) corps members undergoing orientation course at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko.
Chukwu said that the corps members should not allow vested interest of selfish individuals to sow the seed of disunity and rancour among them.
“Gentlemen corps members, the birth of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme came as a result of the civil war of 1967 to 1970. I am happy to say that the ingenuity of the founding fathers has united the nation through the process of the 3Rs: Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) administration.
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“Let us come together to further deepen the impact of this symbol of national unity, development and integration. Your deployment to Ondo State is not by accident rather it is a deliberate ploy to make you understand the diversity and I equally wish to let you know that our strength as a country lies in bonding together as an indivisible distinct entity,” he said.
He said that the NYSC encouraged and promoted inter-tribal marriages among them which should not be mis-interpreted for immorality among Nigerian youths.
The NYSC director implored the corps participants to work towards bringing development to their host communities.
“It is the desire of every right thinking person to impact the society and I want to encourage you to think of what you can do for your host communities so that whenever your name is mentioned, people will remember you as someone that brought smiles to the faces of the indigenes and residents,” he said.
Chukwu appealed to the future leaders-in training to start thinking about the future and be ready to make sacrifice for the development of humanity.
He admonished them not to give in to peer pressure which might compel them into activities capable of jeopardising their future.
He admonished them to embrace the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, programme for a secure and guaranteed future saying that whatever they learnt in camp and during the service year would place them in good stead to face challenges of life after the service year.
The state coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, while welcoming the Director, Procurement disclosed that 1456 corps members made up of 725 males and 731 females had been wonderful, disciplined and well behaved.
She thanked Chukwu for his ‘home coming visit’ having served in the state in the past.
She stressed that the entire staff and corps members would not in any way take it for granted.
Ani encouraged the corps members to drink from the water of the wisdom of the cerebral administrator who is known to be astute and versatile.
