History: Who Originated NYSC?

Let me talk about this man. For the sake of most of us, the younger ones who are totally oblivious of his legacies.

You know, the Nigerian Establishment has always had subtle ways not to give credit to those who deserve the credit—a veritable reason for lack of history and historical consciousness amongst the younger generation. Thanks to the New Media—whatever we could do with it, we would do.


Many Ndi Igbo and other Nigerians have done their one year National Youth Service (NYSC) since 1973 till this day. Many amongst the older generations may know the true story of how NYSC came to be but not so amongst the younger generation of those born from 80s down. When I served, no one ever tried telling us or even making us ask how the Scheme came to be. “NYSC was established in 1973 by the administration of Yakubu Gowon”, they’d simplistically and poorly manage to tell you—that is if you are lucky not to have served in an area that is heavy in ignorance and irredeemable backwardness.

 Downcast from a devastating war, some “socially conscious” Igbo youths galvanized themselves in Enugwu to task themselves to help rebuild their environment and their people. The man in the inset pix was one of them. They agreed to work as volunteers to assist the Government following the RRR-programme (Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation) introduced by Gowon. From that voluntary service, they went ahead to make it official by naming their body “East Central State Youth Volunteer Services Corps” (ECSYVSC), and the group appointed this great man in the inset pix to be their leader. Under this man’s leadership, the programme became massive and spread to other parts of Igboland which are now the present 5 Southeastern States. The following were what they did in many Igbo communities:

·         Salvaging important documents and equipments buried in the heaps of mess from war.

·         Cleaning of public places

·         Construction of local bridges, markets and other public places.

·         Literacy campaign and public enlightenment to help rural people adjust to the post-war conditions.

·         Giving orientation and civic education to the youth.

·         Teaching in schools and colleges as volunteers.

Having become a great success in the East, this man led some other youths at that time who formed his excos, in the persons of Abaji (SUG President of UNEC), Tim Ibezim (secretary) and the late Prof E. N Ukpabi (Adviser) to other parts of Nigeria appealing to them to replicate the programme in their areas. They toured the North and West. In the North, they submitted what they called a “Memorandum” to Mallam Aminu Kano asking him to help them recommend it to the Government of Gowon. Having submitted the Memo to Gowon, Aminu Kano served as the link between them and Gowon. In response to that, Gowon set up a Committee on it and that Committee eventually recommended the establishment of what they renamed to “National Youth Service Corps” in 1973. The programme has lasted for 44 years now!

Take note of these:

It took an Igbo man/team to come up with a well-thought out programme that will really be true to the so-called “RRR”. None of such was even in the pipeline, meaning it could have been lip-service as usual while the Igbos licked their wounds after fighting a war for survival.

It has always taken the Igbo people to keep Nigeria pretend like it is one. The seeming unity Nigeria has today is a function of the cosmopolitan nature of the Igbo man.

Those people working in the NYSC today probably know nothing about this man otherwise his image and name would always find places in their booklets and other stuffs they distribute to Youth Corps members. And it is a shame they don’t know!

Most of the deeply-thought ideas, policies and actions that have helped Nigeria in one way or the other have always come from the Igbo people. But guess what? Once they become successful, the originators are forgotten and other parts of Nigeria begin to take glory or usurp the benefits. Igbo has a name for such elements “ọdị-mma-n’olili, a-dị-mma-n’ọlụlụ”.

 Ladies and Gentlemen, respects to the man in the inset pix, Professor Uzodimma Nwala, the first person to introduce “African Philosophy” as a discipline in any university all over the world beginning with the University of Nigeria; the first person to receive his PhD with a thesis on African Philosophy titled “The Igbo Philosophy” all over the world; and the Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Nigeria, Nsuka. Plus many other things!

May you age gracefully, Prof. This is not a eulogy; it is just a recreation of awareness that many of the young who know not may get to know, especially the present Youth Corps members.

By Chijioke Ngobili.