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The essence of establishing the National youth service corps in 1973 by General Yakubu Gowon Administration was among others; to foster unity, cooperation among Nigeria youths from different background, tribe, and ethnic groups towards community development through the one year compulsory service to their fatherland after graduation from higher institutions and this Noble idea is laudable and so far has yielded result as Corp members posted outside their state of origin get to know and appreciate the tradition and culture of their host states or communities. The NYSC Community Development scheme is a challenge before corpers in the places they are posted hence they engage in the following: Teaching, Agriculture, Road maintenance and Information Technology.

While some donate their intellectual property and some who are handy provide their host communities social amenities as a legacy and in return are rewarded in recognition of their good gestures by either local, state and federal governments. Sometimes government goes further to give automatic employment or National honour to Corp members who distinguished themselves in the one-year programme. But I doubt the sincerity of the present National Youth service schemes as I have waited patiently since October 19, 2009 when the Daily Sun in a story in Page 19 entitled SUPER CORPER with a rider NYSC MEMBER BUYS TRANSFORMER FOR LAGOS COMMUNITY and up till now Lily Ogechi Ogbonna the donor of a 300KV A transformer to Gojere Village in Oriade Local Government Area of Lagos State is yet to be recognized by the NYSC even though the community was engulfed in jubilation and appreciation when the Executive Chairman of Oriade Local government area Hon. Tunde Sanusi Commissioned the transformer at the admiration of other dignitaries. According to the story, for over three years resident of the community was denied electricity supply until young Lily Ogbonna came to their aid by donating the transformer to actualize her community Development Scheme for the annual National Youth Service corp.

This gesture went a long way in reducing the burden of Electricity levy imposed on residents by the community leaders hence the reason for large tum out by residents and indigenes including fellow corp members to express their Joy during the commissioning of the project.

Touching lives positively is the greatest legacy anybody can transfer to his or her generation and such people must be honoured while they are alive instead of singing their praises in death like in the case of Gani Fawhenmi. Because I have seen corpers with lesser achievements honoured not only with an award, but with automatic employment in reputable government establishment, hence, the reason I doubt the sincerity of the scheme towards rewarding excellence. I wonder why our leaders pretend to love Nigeria while their actions are opposite.

It’s a pity that the Nigeria factor has continued to kill the dreams of well meaning Nigerians and because of this has lost interest in the Nigeria project. Even Umuaguma Nzerem, Ehime Mbano LGA lmo State were I come from have no electricity supply since the inception of Nigeria and ever since those who have attain manhood has continued to pay annual electricity levy to electrify the community.

Also many communities especially in the South East Geo-political zone due to neglect by government, enjoy electricity through self efforts, but here a young lady donated a transformer that my community have been laboring for years to have to a community outside her state or community just because she reside there and the NYSC felt unconcerned to recognize their own who made them proud. After all, Lilly did the job of government because it is the responsibility of government to provide social amenities to its citizenry because we elect them to be accountable to us but it is a shame that government could not live up to its responsibility.

Thank God for Hon. Tunde Sanusi Executive chairman of Oriade Local Government Area, a childhood friend who before his election has community development as priority and has made effort to actualize this in Oriade and commend him for his effort to attract the attention of the action Governor of Lagos State Babatunde Fashola to what Lily did in Oriade and I hope His Excellency will recognize her.

The annoying part is that even when it is obvious that government has failed the people, they keep assuring us that before the end of the year they will generate 6000 megawatts of electricity and the year is about to end and Nigeria is in darkness. If not for Fashola we in Lagos don’t know whether there is government in Nigeria. . I call her a Woman with the heart of Gold and I think she deserves better recognition both by Lagos State government and NYSC

•Dickson Okafor writes from Lagos
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