Remembering Pioneer of NYSC as Orientation Camp for 2024 Batch C concludes. Pioneer’s Son Led UI Protest at Introduction

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.