… says service year shouldn’t be pre-condition for appointment into public office
An activist and Convener/National Coordinator, Social Rehabilitation Gruppe (SRG), Dr Oludare Marindoti, has called for an amendment of the National Service Corps Act of 1999 with a view to making the one-year compulsory service voluntary for all Nigerian university graduates.
Marindoti, who is a Nigeria-born United States-based medical doctor, said the Federal Government and the National Assembly should consider an urgent amendment to the 1999 NYSC Act so that Nigerian graduates, undergraduates and youths would be free from the unnecessary burden and the inconveniences placed on them by the one-year compulsory service scheme stipulated by the Act.
The SRG Convener also noted that the encumbrance constituted by the compulsory NYSC scheme had made many competent Nigerian youths in the Diaspora to continue to shy away from returning home to contribute their quota to the socio- economic development of the country.
This development he said had continued to worsen the problem of brain drain confronting the country.
He has, therefore, called on all Nigerian youths, particularly undergraduates to join him in the crusade to bring an to what he termed “servitude” rather than national service, which he said the NYSC claims to represent, through political actions.
The activist stated this while addressing a press conference in Lagos, on Wednesday.
According to him, however, if his current political action fails to get the FG and the National Assembly to amend the 1999 NYSC Act, he will be constrained to approach the courts of competent jurisdiction for a relief regarding his constitutional rights.
He deplored the 50-year-old NYSC scheme as having outlived its usefulness, as its essence had long been lost in the maze of Nigeria’s multifarious and multidimensional social, political, economic and religious problems.
Marindoti, therefore, advised all Nigerian undergraduates, graduates and youths to visit the website: www.endNYSC.com to vote and express their feelings and opinions on whether the FG should retain the scheme or otherwise.
He partly stated, “Therefore, today, I call upon each and every one of you (especially the youth, most especially the undergraduate in our universities who are most directly affected by this law) to join me in demanding a political action to amend the NYSC law and make it a voluntary programme. And if a political outcome is not achieved, I will be left with no choice but to defend my constitutional rights through legal means. We must rally together to bring about the change we so desperately need. Let our voices echo through the halls of power, reminding our leaders that they are entrusted with the duty to protect our rights and champion our aspirations.
“To the youth of Nigeria, I implore you to unite and make your voices heard. Go to www.endNYSC.com to vote. Our weapon of choice is our voice; let those in power know if you feel NYSC should be by choice or by force. I did pledge to serve Nigeria with all my strength, however, to serve Nigeria is not by force. Let us stand tall and refuse to accept these chains that bind us. We are the future of this great nation, and it is our collective responsibility to shape it according to our dreams and aspirations.”
The full text of Marindoti’s speech during the press conference read thus:
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, members of the press and fellow Nigerians,
Today, I stand before you with a clear mind and strong determination to challenge an unjust system that has persisted for far too long (half a century to be precise). I speak of the (NYSC) which I have termed the National Youth Servitude Corps, it is an ill conceived institution that was established with the assumptions that merely posting a few Nigerians outside their places or origin will magically unite the all of the nation. 50 years down the line, preceding and current events have proven to us that this magical machination did not do its job. If a fool at 40 is a fool forever, I argue that a dud at 50 is a dud forever. Nigeria has gotten progressively more divided in the intervening year since then. Moreover, It is a system that reeks of servitude rather than service, an archaic relic that needs urgent reform.
The NYSC was conceived as a means to foster national unity, promote cultural exchange, and develop young minds for the betterment of our beloved nation. However, somewhere along the line, the spirit of volunteerism and national pride got lost in the bureaucratic maze. What should have been a voluntary endeavor became a compulsory obligation, where young graduates are coerced into a year of servitude under the threats of blackmail, penalties, discrimination and incarceration.
Is this the Nigeria we envision for ourselves? A nation where the dreams and aspirations of our youth are suppressed under the guise of mandatory service? The NYSC has become a symbol of forced labor, an infringement upon the basic rights and freedoms of our young citizens. It perpetuates a culture of inequality and fosters a mindset that devalues personal choice and autonomy.
This is the era of #BrokenShackles. It is time for us to rise above the shackles of this oppressive system. We must recognize that true service stems from the heart, from a genuine desire to contribute to our society, and cannot be mandated by any law including the NYSC act of 1999. We must acknowledge that the essence of volunteerism lies in the freedom to choose, not in the imposition of duties that stifle individual growth and potential.
This why I have sent a notice of an INTENTION TO SUE TO THE PRESIDENT, THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because sections 12 and 13 of the NYSC act of 1999 violates my constitutional rights as enshrined in sections 34 and 42 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Therefore, today, I call upon each and every one of you (especially the youth, most especially the undergraduate in our universities who are most directly affected by this law) to join me in demanding a political action to amend the NYSC law and make it a voluntary program. And if a political outcome is not achieved, I will be left with not choice but to defend my constitutional rights through legal means. We must rally together to bring about the change we so desperately need. Let our voices echo through the halls of power, reminding our leaders that they are entrusted with the duty to protect our rights and champion our aspirations.
To the youth of Nigeria, I implore you to unite and make your voices heard. Go to www.endNYSC.com to vote. Our weapon of choice is our voice; let those in power know if you feel NYSC should be by choice or by force. I did pledge to serve Nigeria with all my strength, however, to serve Nigeria is not by force. Let us stand tall and refuse to accept these chains that bind us. We are the future of this great nation, and it is our collective responsibility to shape it according to our dreams and aspirations.
Together, we can forge a Nigeria where service is borne out of passion, where young minds are empowered to contribute voluntarily, and where the spirit of unity thrives.
To our political leaders, I urge you to listen to the cries of your people. The time for change is now. Embrace the vision of a voluntary NYSC and work towards amending the law that perpetuates this culture of discrimination and servitude, allow all Nigerians (regardless of age and educational status) to participate should they wish to. Your duty is to protect the rights and well-being of the citizens you represent, and it is high time you fulfilled that duty by addressing this pressing issue.
In conclusion, let us remember the words of the great Bob Marley, who said, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.” Let us reclaim our power, our right to choose, and our ability to shape a brighter future. Together, let us fight for a voluntary NYSC, where service is a testament to our love for our country, not a burden imposed upon us.
Thank you, and may God bless Nigeria.