Imperativeness Of Nwidadah’s Motion On NYSC

For sometimes now, the National Youth Service (NYSC) scheme has come under serious threat, due to the Boko Haram insurgence that has led to the killing of many corps members in the Northern part of Nigeria. As a result, many people have called for the scrapping of the NYSC  scheme that was initiated by the Yakubu Gowon’s  administration in 1973, saying it is no longer desirable.

Those who were sympathetic with the scheme contend that while it should continue to exist, Southerners should not be posted to the North especially the vulnerable states, until such a time peace would return to the North.

Concerns being expressed on the continued relevance of the NYSC scheme, arising from the untimely death of the corps members cut across all the strata of the society including the three arms of government.

While the executive led by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan called for restraint and promised to stop the carnage, the legislature and judiciary also rose as one against what they considered a dangerous trend that should be stopped.

At the National Assembly, motions were sponsored on the floor of the two hallowed chambers under “issues of urgent national importance,” in response to the killing of corps members. Similar emotions were replicated at the various state Houses of Assembly.

In Rivers State for instance, a motion came up on the floor of the state Assembly titled: “Motion for the Evacuation of Rivers State Students/Community from Maiduguri, Borno State,” with a rider: “Re: closure of University of Maiduguri.”

In the motion sponsored by the Chairman, Social Welfare and Rehabilitation/Pilgrim Committee and Member representing Khana Constituency -1, Hon. Legborsi Nwidadah, the attention of the House was drawn to what he calls, the “insecurity of lives and property in the area” arising from the activities of Boko Haram.

The Motion states inter-alia: “…It is apparent the cardinal obligation of a seating government is the protection of lives and properties, among others. In this regard, it becomes imperative to draw the attention of this honourable Assembly to the present state of insecurity exhibited by the Boko Haram sect in the Northern part of the country, which has claimed several lives of innocent citizens, ranging from students, corpers and residents of these areas due to incessant bombings and killings.

“…The authority of the University of Maiduguri recently closed down the university due to insecurity of lives and property in the area. This is done in the best interest of the university.

“In view of the above, I so urge this honourable House to do resolve as follow: That the Rivers State government shall, as a matter of urgency, facilitate the speedy evacuation of our students from the University of Maiduguri to a safe environ; that if possible, the entire Rivers Community be considered in the evacuation exercise; that the House do take only other decision that is in the best interest of our people resident in Borno State.”

Although, some members of the House considered the motion sentimental’ and stood on its way, the Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi’s administration gave Hon. Nwidadah’s  motion due consideration. Few days after Legbosi’s motion, the government moved swiftly and through the state liaison office in Abuja, evacuated Rivers students of the University of Maiduguri and corps members of Rivers State extraction and others from the troubled spot to Abuja, and from Abuja to Port Harcourt, from where they were assisted financially to their local government areas

Ever since,  violence has spread to neighbouring states, with even the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja receiving its nasty share of the Boko Haram outrage. The worst hit are the states of Bauchi,Kaduna, Kano, Yobe and to some extent, Adamawa, with the casualty figures rising by the day!

The authorities of the NYSC also initially proved responsive by re-posting corps members posted to Borno and Yobe to the relatively calm Nasarawa and Kogi States. Recently however, the NYSC reversed its stand. The authorities, against the prevailing public opinion and every sense of decency, posted another batch of corps members to Boko Haram prone States of Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, etc.

This has generated public outcry and protests by the affected corps members from the south and also drew comments from many Nigerians. Hon. Nwidadah told The Tide  that the situation has made his motion still relevant, as he could not understand why NYSC should still post young, promising Nigerians who are the future of the nation to states like Borno and other troubled spots where Boko Haram holds sway.

As he puts it, “those states are still largely unsafe for NYSC service. We all know the rate of insecurity in those states and the on-slaught of Boko Haram, and cannot pretend otherwise. We are talking of future leaders, whose future is now at stake by virtue of their NYSC postings. These are states where Boko Haram has no regard for the sanctity of life and could sniff life out of people at will, irrespective of whether they are on national assignment to those states or not. I will like to draw NYSC’s attention to my motion, which is still relevant in the circumstance because it truly captures and reflects the mood and feelings of the nation over the recent postings”.

New batch of corps members have just received their call-up letters last week for the batch B NYSC service year which commenced on July 2.  It was leant that most of them were still posted to Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Sokoto States though admist protest and complaints. Many corps members of the south origin were emphatic that the NYSC  should re-deploy them.

The PUNCH of July 2 puts this in proper perspective. “Some of the corps members and their families, who expressed their worries on various social network sites including facebook and twitter, said they were extremely sad and disappointed when they received their call-up letters, deploying them to trouble states where there is currently curfew, threats of reprisals and senseless bombings”.

The peoples comments were summarised on the social network thus: “We need to rise and stop the government from sentencing us and our loved ones to death. Is our government/NYSC this heartless and simply inhumane? We seek to live in places where we can work with peace of mind”.

With parents and the prospective corps members intensifying pressure on the NYSC authorities for alternative posting, most Nigerians hope that the NYSC will give them a listening ear and recall them from the troubled states.

They believe NYSC should not wait till mayhem is unleashed on these future leaders of Nigeria before the surviving ones are re-deployed as it was the case in the recent past.

On their part, the affected states are not resting on their oars in getting NYSC to stick to the postings released last week. Indices on ground show that NYSC was already swaying in their direction by way of collaborating with them on how to ensure security for the corps members posted to their states.

Borno state, for example, has carved a nitch for itself as the most vocal in that direction. Last weekend, its governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima justified the posting of corps members to the state.

Speaking through his Information Commissioner, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, Shettima said: “While it is true that we have security challenges, it is a fact that these challenges are not exclusive to Borno States. We don’t have on record any attack on visitors, neither do we have any record of attacks on the NYSC camp or corps members posted to and currently serving in Borno State”.

While Borno basked in this self-indulgence and self-delusion which many view as myopic and untenable, the pendulum of national discourse and public opinion undoubtedly favours Hon. Legborsi Nwidadah’s motion on the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly, calling for restraint on the part of the NYSC and subtly warning NYSC not to endanger the lives of corps members in the name of serving their fatherland.

Just recently, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a motion, calling for the deployment of corps members of Lagos origin from the north.

Nwidadah’s motion and other calls bore down to the same central veracity, that urgent steps should be taken to stop another loss of lives of corps members.

Justus Unye-Awaji