The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, has charged corps members to regard their one-year service to the nation as both a civic responsibility and a call to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Addressing Batch C corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Ede, Osun State, the DG emphasised the importance of discipline, patriotism, and selflessness throughout the service year.

“You are primarily responsible for building this nation and making it a desirable place. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we must serve it with dedication,” he said.

General Nafiu cautioned the corps members against being influenced by negative narratives about Nigeria circulating on social media, urging them instead to think critically and act as agents of positive change.

“Don’t be carried away by the noise on social media. You are graduates; think critically and be part of the solution,” he stated.

He described the NYSC orientation course as a platform designed to foster unity, mutual understanding, and cultural integration among young Nigerians from different parts of the country.

“The aim of the orientation exercise is to bring together youths from diverse backgrounds so they can learn from one another and strengthen the bond of national unity,” he explained.

The NYSC boss reminded the corps members that their participation in the scheme was a national mandate and a leadership test.
“It is a clarion call to serve and to lead. Leadership starts from responsibility,” he said.

He warned the corps members against acts of indiscipline, night travel, and unauthorized journeys, stressing the importance of obedience to NYSC by-laws and personal security.

“For this one year, put aside unnecessary activism. You are not politicians. Be disciplined, follow camp rules, and take your safety seriously. It pains the NYSC to hear reports of harm to corps members,” he added.

General Nafiu further urged the corps members to take advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, describing it as a vital component of the NYSC designed to make them self-reliant.

“The SAED initiative offers you two benefits at once—your service and a skill. Don’t treat it as time-wasting. Reality is what you have now, and you’ll need these skills later in life,” he said.

He also advised the corps members to cultivate a saving habit and embrace financial literacy, noting that the government cannot meet everyone’s financial needs after service.

“Be financially wise. Start small, save, and invest. NYSC has partnered with several organisations to support skill acquisition among corps members,” he said.

The DG lauded the hospitality of Nigerians across all regions, assuring the corps members of a pleasant experience in Osun State.

“The beauty of Nigeria lies in its inclusiveness. You’ll find that people everywhere are welcoming. Some corps members even choose to settle permanently after service,” he remarked.

Earlier, the Osun State NYSC Coordinator, Agbor Ndoma Obim, welcomed the DG and reaffirmed the commitment of corps members to uphold the ideals of the scheme.
He disclosed that 2,500 corps members had been registered in the camp comprising 830 males and 807 females deployed to Osun, and 427 males and 436 females dislodged to Lagos State.

Obim added that all camp activities were in full swing, with the camp clinic already operational two days before the official commencement of the orientation exercise.

He assured the DG of the corps members’ readiness to contribute to national growth through their service year.