N.Y.S.C: What does it mean?

"A diamond in the rough will always come out tough"

    -Cyprian Henry

 This article is dedicated to you as long as you are a corp. member; you are in the best place to read this little note. I must confess that it is not easy to have toiled all through varsity and eventually graduate and after graduation the Government says ‘You must go to serve your father land’. Well!

I congratulate you on your courage to have accepted to serve this country. It is an indication that you are a true Nigerian with a high dose of integrity. It is a mark that you have decided to keep to your promise when you said ‘I pledge to Nigeria my country, to be faithful loyal and honest…to serve Nigeria with all my strength’ Once again I congratulate you. You and I know that there are many people who after graduation from University, never thought of ‘serving their father land’. They became dictators of what to do after graduation or where they would serve because of their self-seeking desire for comfort and money. I'm sorry if I hurt anyone. But it is the truth!

Like I said earlier, this little note is dedicated to you. Permit me to say this, there are many youth corp. members out there who do not have an idea whatsoever why they are adorned with those ‘white shirt on a grey trousers [if I am not mistaken]’ I don’t know about you. Many young graduates only had to accede to the Government’s demands because they felt they had to choice than to do what the Government stipulates. When the purpose of a thing is not fully known, abuse is inevitable. The N.Y.S.C system or body was structured or commission to achieve a noteworthy purpose! 

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which was formed in 1973 is an organisation set up by the Nigerian government to involve the country's graduates in the development of the country. "Corp" members are posted to cities far from their city of origin. They are expected to mix with people of other tribes, social and family backgrounds, to learn the culture of the indigenes in the place they are posted to. This action is aimed to bring about unity in the country and to help youths appreciate other ethnic groups.

The program has also helped in creating entry level jobs for a lot of Nigerian youth. An NYSC forum dedicated to the NYSC members was recently built to bridge the gap amongst members serving across Nigeria and also an avenue for corpers to share job information and career resources as well as getting loans from the National Directorate Of Employment.*

Those green four letter words hanging behind your back has more to it than meets the eyes. Lots of young graduates that have worn those attires do not realize the truths that have been buried behind those words. Amongst these truth that had been uncoverd I believe strongly that the words ‘N.Y.S.C’ is more than just ‘National Youth Service Corps’ There are more to it, and unlocking those truths are the purposes of this little note. I hope you will read further.

Today in Nigeria, the N.Y.S.Cs are just the N.Y.S.Cs, today in Nigeria this young graduates who are full of hot and brimming gifts, talents and creativity are just seen as people who are only unfortunate job seekers and 'emissaries across the state' sent out to feed their eyes in different ethic group and states. They see these young leaders of today as people who have been captured and sold to other parts of the nation to suffer before they face the real ‘problems’ of the outer worlds. But do you know what makes me sad? These young varsity leavers have in some way been forced to accept this ‘faked truths’. On the face of an average young graduate, frustration, anger and pains are advertized because they have believed the lie they have been fed with. If you knew what you carry inside of yourself then you will no longer have a microscopic view yourself instead you would supplement your self worth with a telescopic view. There is a saying that ‘The greatest enemy a man has is himself’.

The masses have coined too many acronyms to mock and match the letter N.Y.S.C as a means of reinforcing their 'faked truths'. They have called these young leaders of today  names that are heart aching. But you have got to stop listening to them and tell them to their faces that YOU are better than them, that you have better chances than they have. The world is full of dream killers. They can fight tooth and nail to see that the dreams you have protected do not come to fruition. They will dare to deceive you and poison your minds with fetish lies. But they are all lies and nothing more. They are already frustrated and they now want to frustrate you but you must not give them another chance to hamper your dreams and aspirations. 

I was compelled to write this little note because of the pain and emotional trauma I have seen youth corp. members go through, though I have not served, yet I can still see the scars and pain in their hearts.  As a writer, I am some sort of soldier, the pen is my arms and amunition. Long ago I heard some people say ‘N.Y.S.C’ means ‘Now Your Suffering Continues’. The status quo of this country may want to force you to believing this but you must decide not to. You must say NO to these fetish messages and I have come to make you believe, to strengthen your will to move on. To make you realize that the true meaning of N.Y.S.C is Now Your Success Comes.

The N.Y.S.C System you are going through is an opportunity for you to deploy all you have gleaned through out your stay at the varsity, It is a springboard for your glorification in the economical world! A process that teaches you what it takes to be a person of global reputation by teaching your how to serve humanity. It gives presents you an opportunity to  educate and inspire young people, to challenge them to greatness. It is an opportunity to share with us your challenges while in school and how you scaled through them. An exposure to reality, a real school with is not within the confines of an 'institution'I;  a place for mental, physical and spiritual rehearsal before the actual game. 

 A diamond in the rough will always come out tough!. Your success has come whether you accept this or not and this is just the beginning of your success story, don’t ever give up remember your dreams, look up into your future, take your mind off the challenges and difficulties and plunge into limelight. Above all, remember your creator- your God, because He can do all things. Always call for his intervention because he never fails. You want the truth? He is all you need!  You might not meet me in person again but let my words be with you. If you consider these truths very important, then I will urge you to share this article to your friends and fellow Youth Corp members by simply making photocopies of them.

Believe your dreams,

Believe you can,                                       

Deliver your dreams...  

       
Cyprian Henry
08088733350