Nigerian Youths, Democracy and the NYSC Contribution
Manager Mohammed Salis
Ever since the return of democracy in Nigeria, young people have been actively participating in elections and contemporary issues in the country’s democratic system, playing significant and visible roles in election management.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been an essential key to this drive. Creating a thriving ground for youths to explore their potentials in service to fatherland.
For instance, the NYSC, it’s staff and serving corpse members have continue to play a significant role by managing the biometric voter registration exercise conducted by the INEC since it’s introduction. This is in addition to officiating election excercises mostly as presiding officers.
According to Youth Observatory Report released by Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), 90 per cent of political party polling agents deployed on Election Day were young corps members for voter education, voters verification and voters authentication all these process are mostly handle by trained members of the youth service corps all along to give democracy enough avenue to thrive.
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Notwithstanding, political crisis and religious intolerance effecting the nation corps member has work tirelessly to restore the unity of Nigeria and Nigerians.
In recent times, corps member deployed to Anambra election has done tremendously well throughout the exercise period, dispite series of sit at home orders by indegineous people of Biafra (IPOB) to attack voters and electoral facilities provided for the purpose of the election in Anambra State.
Since its inception in 1973, the scheme’s corps members from all parts of the country have willingly offered their best in the service of the nation including teaching, electioneering and various community service developments. This has in no small means strengthened national unity, integration, inter- ethnics understanding and civil awareness among the diverse people of Nigeria.
Moreover, the NYSC has ingrained in many young Nigerians the sprit of selfless service to the nation and promoted oneness ( expri- deco) amongst each other.
Corps members are not only useful to election but, government institutions and private organizations as well for the general unity, peace and progress of the nation.
M. M. Salis writes from Kano
