The pioneer Chief Executive of the National Youth Service Corps, retired Colonel Ahmadu Ali, has declared that the Scheme is permanently entrenched in Nigeria’s national life, saying over five decades of positive impact have secured its place in the hearts of Nigerians.
Ali made the assertion when the incumbent Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, paid him a courtesy visit at his Abuja residence.
The retired colonel, who served as the pioneer National Director of the Scheme a position now designated Director-General credited former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon with the foresight to establish the NYSC in 1973, describing it as an enduring programme whose relevance had only deepened with time.
“People have the privilege to go to other states which ordinarily they wouldn’t have,” Ali said, noting that the Scheme had become a significant instrument for fostering national unity and broadening the worldview of young Nigerians beyond their immediate communities.
He added that the NYSC equipped corps members with coping mechanisms acquired outside their comfort zones, thereby building mutual tolerance across ethnic and regional lines.
Reflecting on the Scheme’s evolution, Ali recalled that Nigerian graduates had initially protested against its establishment, but said that early scepticism had long given way to anticipation and excitement among prospective corps members. He pledged to continue praying for the Scheme’s sustainability.
He also commended the current and past managers of the NYSC for sustaining the vision of its founding fathers.
In his remarks, Director-General Nafiu said the visit was an opportunity to pay homage to Ali in recognition of the solid foundation he had laid at the Scheme’s inception a foundation he said had underpinned the NYSC’s stability for more than half a century.
General Nafiu praised Ali for his administrative acumen and the wisdom with which he navigated the early challenges of the Scheme, saying the NYSC remained indebted to his enduring leadership legacy.
About The Author
