You see, this prompt is coming at the perfect time for me because I am currently serving my country and I am going through so much due to that fact, so I kind of have a lot to say regards the topic. The National Youth Service Corps is a mandatory service for Youths in Nigeria below the age of 30 years and it is usually for a period of one year. For Nigeria, you can be posted to any part of the country and the whole service year usually start with a three-week orientation program at an enclosed camp. Then after that, the corps members will be posted to various institutions to work there (serve the country) for the rest of the service year. Then, they get a certifcate at the end of the whole thing and move on with their lives.
Before now, I used to look at people that demand for the service year thing to be scrapped like they don't know what they are saying, but I have gotten into the system now and I understand them better. The amount of stress I have had to go through in the past couple of weeks is enough for me to actually be convinced that the whole service system is just pure stress and it should actually be scrapped. I am not saying it doesn't have its advantages but then, the whole process is not organized at all and can be very frustrating. On the other hand, some people are very lucky with the whole thing but someone like me? I have definitely gone through it and still going through it.
I was posted to one of the ministries in the state at the very beginning and them rejecting me was the very genesis of my NYSC problems. Apparently, they were not taking in corpers at all due to an internal issue that they have. I mean, if the whole system were okay, shouldn't they be updated about this and suggest somewhere else to me? Moving forward from that, I had to find another Primary Place of Assignment related to my field of study and that one went south too. The owner of the establishment wanted me to show up at the office from Monday to Saturday, excluding a compulsory off day dedicated to an NYSC activity. Asides that, the work hour was 8am to 6pm and to be honest, there was no way I could deal with that.
I would literally have no life anymore and all my life will be about that job for the next 11 months and it wasn't looking good for me. I have personal things I am doing and a business to run, a fairer working situation will do it for me so I couldn't accept to work there. The man even refused to reject me and it was a lot of drama. He didn't respond to my texts or pick my calls, and I got the message and had to find other means. I requested to be posted to a school but the school happened to be filled up as well so as at today, I had to go write a letter of reposting so I be posted to another school that was available. Normally, teaching was meant to be my last option but I am so frustrated that I don't even mind settling at this point.
The system is not arranged in a way that it should and that is what makes it so annoying. Asides that, it has its own advantages as I mentioned earlier. As we all know, the rate of unemployment these days is just getting higher, especially in this country. In a way, the service year puts workers in that working system and some get lucky enough to be retained. So even after their service year, they wouldn't have to look for jobs anywhere. However, this is just for a little percentage of the entire corps members anyway. Then, it generally helps youths have a working experience that they can actually put on their CV which can pave way for their next job or gig.
For the disadvatages, my major concern is the security of youths especially in a time like this when there is insecurity in the country. There has been serveral cases of corpers getting kidnapped or involved in accidents because of the new locations they have to report to. So, is the service year really worth all these?
Anyhoo, I feel we youths will eventually find our paths where the service year scheme is in the picture or not. So many youths are even aiming at being job creators and the whole service might hinder them in a way. The whole is just very stressful and I do not see the point, yet. Maybe I will have a different view when I have all my issues sorted and the whole teaching thing actually goes well.
Also, I think the prestige is also something too, the country is very proud of corps members and you actually need to see the way people hype corpers when they pass a particular place. Our uniforms are like prayer points for parents, and in a way, its quite honourable wearing the uniform.
Thanks for reading❤️
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Damn I hate when nysc post corpers to a PPA with issues, it just doesn't make sense, there should have. Been a proper investigation on the state of of Place.
Just like you said Serving the Country is a great honour and I feel it there should be an exemption for graduates that doesn't want to partake in it
For real, it should be optional😩😩
You see that PPA issue ehn? Some people have it worse, the scheme is doing a very bad job at posting people, it's not nice at all.
Why would anyone demand that a corper should work from Monday through to Saturday and for that number of hours daily? Haba nau, it's too much. To think that thry might pay you little to nothing for it.
I'm one of those people who is not hyped about the program. I've been drumming it into the ears of who cares to listen that, if I can, I'll skip it. I see the whole aim though of wanting people yo explore other regions, and I appreciate that. Regardless, I'll still pass.
See, sister, I ran away oh! I couldn't bring myself to accept that torture, honestly.
Even if you do it, make sure you don't let it stress you in any way, it is really not worth it.