Members of the 2024 Batch C National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) successfully concluded their Orientation Camp today, 11 February 2025 and it just so happens that a granddaughter of the scheme’s pioneer was amongst them. Speaking about her three weeks experience the recent Covenant University graduate said, “It was a wonderful, enlightening and truly enjoyable experience which afforded me the opportunity to meet so many great people. Yes, the early morning drills amongst other activities were initially a shock to the system but you adapt surprisingly quickly. Camp was actually a lot of fun.”
The National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) scheme was introduced during the Yakubu Gowon military administration and was pioneered in 1973 by late Samuel Babafemi Akande (popularly called SB) who at the time was the Federal Government Permanent Secretary for Special Duties at the Cabinet Office. The scheme was established to ease reconciliation and better integrate a country severely fractured after a gruesome Civil War which tore the country apart for almost 3 years. A teacher by training, its perhaps worthy to note that much earlier in his working life, SB was a House Master at a Seventh Day Adventist school in Mbaise, Imo State; perhaps sowing an early seed that later led to a national integration scheme which deliberately posts graduates to serve in different parts of the country. His marriage to Esther from Ipoti-Ekiti, his village and to Comfort Ede of the Itsekiri ethnic group spoke volumes about his detribalised nature.
Prior to establishing the NYSC, Akande had served as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (1967-1971) and earlier served on the United Nations Technical Assistance Committee as Nigeria’s Representative (1962-1964), in addition to making a significant contribution to Nigeria’s First Economic Programme titled ‘Planning Without Facts’ (1962-1967). SB also enjoyed the honour of being a Visiting Fellow to Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University during his well earned Sabbatical (1975-1976).
In recent years, there has been an on-and-off debate about the continued relevance of the Youth Service scheme. While many believe it may have outlived its relevance, there are others who believe it still serves a useful purpose but should be tweaked to make it more relevant for these times. Amongst those who hold the latter position is SB’s son, Oladapo Akande who recommends including a compulsory 3-4 months skills acquisition component in the scheme as an effort to meet the country’s massive skills gap. Still on this point, Oladapo Akande said, “You never know, some of these youths may well discover that their future literally lies in their hands (their skills), and not in the university certificate which might be in a discipline they pursued, not because of their passion for it, but because that is what their parents want.” A renewed focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a way out of the country’s economic quagmire is a position strongly held by EduTimes Africa, a publication which Oladapo Akande and his childhood friend, Adebiyi Oke co-founded. The education focused publication has remained at the forefront of this TVET advocacy since it launched on 23 January, 2023.
Continuing, Oladapo Akande recounts that the NYSC scheme experienced robust resistance when it was first introduced. “In fact, our eldest brother, the late Olukayode John Akande, former Captain of Freeman House at Igbobi College and better known by his nickname ‘Salama’ was amongst the ring leaders who led a protest at the University of Ibadan against the introduction of the scheme. Incidentally, the protest happened to take place when our parents were at the premier university. Our father was touring the country on behalf of the Federal Government, in an effort to placate students and explain what the scheme was all about. Fearing for their safety as the protest turned riotous, our parents literally took to their heels and hurriedly left the institution. Let’s just say that my brother discovered he hadn’t gotten away with it when he next came home…Lol.”
SB Akande retired meritoriously from the Civil Service in 1977, one year into General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government and after having taken charge of Festac ’77 festival, which subsequently led to the establishment of the National Theatre, the National Council of Arts and Culture and Festac Village, now known as Festac Town. Akande also initiated the Ministry of Science and Technology. Many years later, he served on the inaugural Board of Trustees of Babcock University, an institution he played no small role in assisting to establish as a full fledged university. In recognition of this fact, a male hostel was named after him shortly after his demise. Not bad for a boy whose parents refused to name for the first 5 years of his life (and simply called ‘boy’) for fear that he may not survive, just like others they had lost; not bad for someone who served as a domestic staff to an American missionary couple; a houseboy in plain parlance; not bad for a boy who got to own his first pair of shoes well into his teens, and was often seen strutting the dusty roads of his Ondo State (now Ekiti State) village together with his friend, wearing one shoe each of his pair; not bad for a young man who was only able to attend Teaching Training College instead of a regular Secondary school; not bad for a man who couldn’t attend university until he was in his early 30s and was already a father of two. Courtesy of a Federal Government scholarship, he attended Exeter University in the United Kingdom.
With the benefit of a sound education under one’s belt, there is no pit too deep which a determined, focused and disciplined individual cannot climb out of, and subsequently, there is no level so high that one cannot attain. Education is no scam! It is the ultimate leveler. It can indeed positively alter the trajection of one’s life and that of one’s offspring forever.
It goes without saying that SB who passed away on 21 April, 2013 at the age of 91 would have been proud to see another of his grandchildren adorn the very recognisable green and white NYSC uniform. It is not a coincidence that it shares the same colours as the National flag. And if I may add, one thing that is very sure now is this. It is time to Put Nigeria First.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.