The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has praised the results the National Youth Service Corps has produced since its inception.
Osinbajo said this during an address to declare open the ceremony of the 50th anniversary of the scheme.
He said the NYSC has played a significant role to “reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild” Nigeria.
The VP, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, said the scheme recorded numerous achievements, especially in promoting national unity and integration.
He explained that the scheme was conceived as a pivot of national unity and integration to accelerate the process of national healing after the unfortunate 30-month civil war, which led to a divided nation yearning for unity.
He stressed, “There is no doubt that since its inception 50 years ago to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the civil war, the NYSC has continued to play a significant role in actualising the role of building an indivisible nation.
“I want to congratulate management, staff, board members and youth corps members nationwide and all Nigerians on the 50th anniversary celebration, which I can describe as the celebration of another NYSC’s unquantifiable contributions to nation-building.”
The vice-president also commended the “heroism of the retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon-led government that came up with the idea of establishing the NYSC in 1973,” noting that the NYSC was “specially designed to harness the potential of young dedicated Nigerian graduates toward the path of national development.”
He pledged the federal government’s commitment to youth development through policies and programmes that would empower them for economic survival and future leadership roles.
The NYSC is a program set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. There is no military conscription in Nigeria, but since 1973 graduates of universities and later polytechnics have been required to take part in the NYSC program for one year. This is known as national service year.
Ahmadu Ali served as the first Director-General of the NYSC until 1975. The incumbent Director-General is Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed.
