The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig Gen Suleiman Zakare Kazaure has admonished corps members not to engage in dubious activities in order to achieve greatness.
General Kazaure made the call in his address to the Oyo and Kwara states 2018 Batch ‘B’ (Stream 11) corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Iseyin.
The Director General who informed the corps members that their services would be needed during the 2019 elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, urged them to avoid involvement in dubious activities.
His words: “My dear gentlemen corps members, you have a name to protect because the international community as well as independent electoral observers believe in your ability to make the desired change in our electoral process.
“It is on records that the personal sacrifices your predecessors made in 2015 through the scheme’s participation enhanced the acceptability of the outcome of the election as free and fair.”
The NYSC boss reiterated the need for the corps members to see their mobilisation and consequent deployment to Kwara and Oyo states respectively as a clarion call which must be embraced with all sense of patriotism.
“My dear children in the service of nation building, there is no better time for you than now to make the difference. The nation expects much from you and you cannot afford to fail us at this critical moment of nation building.
“Greatness is not what can be thrusted at you. You need to make substantial sacrifices through your creativity and ingenuity to be able withstand the peer pressure which had truncated the destiny of many who engaged in inglorious sharp practices.
“Do not take undue advantage of the opportunity that would come your way during the next year general elections to perpetuate criminal activities. The law of the land would be invoked on individuals who operate contrary to laid down procedures,” he added.
General Kazaure appealed to corps members to desist from embarking on frivolous journeys during the service year which, according to him, had claimed the lives of great and potential leaders of this country.
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“We the managers of this noble scheme are always at a great loss whenever we lose a patriotic corps members to avoidable and needless circumstances,” he said.
He charged them to integrate quickly within the community they would find themselves and respect the cultures and traditions of the society.
“Nigeria is blessed with diverse culture and tradition. You have to respect what the natives hold dear in their land if you want to enjoy your stay in their midst and do not denigrate whatever they hold sacred.”
Welcoming the Director General, the Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Ifeoma Edith Anidobi, expressed appreciation to the Director General for finding time to visit the corps members at the camp.
Mrs. Anidobi informed General Kazaure that more hostel accommodation was required to adequately cater for the corps population explosion.
The State Coordinator also appealed to the Director General to consider giving operational vehicle to the secretariat because “the bus donated by the Ajimobi admnistration and the Hilux given to Oyo some years back by the Directorate Headquarters are old and presently gulping larger chunk of meagre resources allocated to the secretariat.”
The Director General was accompanied by the Director, Special Duties, Mr. Hilary Nasamu and the Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, while the state coordinator of Kwara State, Mrs. Esther Tosin Ikupolati, was on hand to receive the NYSC helmsman.
Corps members treated the Director General and his entourage to a cultural display depicting unity in diversity.
