Not too long ago, something reared its ugly head. It was the controversy surrounding the appropriate and legitimate uniform (Khaki) for corps members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC). Two serving ‘corpers’, Messrs. Okafor Love Obianuju and Odji Oritsesolaye, according to media reports, were recently dismissed from an orientation camp (in one of the State) for flagrantly refusing to dorn the accepted corpers’ uniform trouser, instead preferring to wear skirt in line with their religious dogma.
In the wake of the ‘bizarre’ development, the spokesperson for the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was reported to have accused NYSC leadership of victimizing the ladies for unwaveringly holding and stubbornly clinging on to their sacred faith. But in a press statement, the NYSC management, said their action is backed by the Corps Establishment Law, which has been religiously obeyed and adhered to by millions of graduates that participated in their service programme, since the advent of the Scheme in 1973.
The NYSC Byelaws (revised 2011) in section 8 states that corps members should wear the various uniforms provided for the activities (in camp). It also added that any member who refuses, or neglect to comply with the rule shall be tried by the camp court, and if found guilty shall be decamped. The issue of preferring long skirt over trousers ordinarily should not even be contemplated, because most people (especially females) cannot perform strenuous physical exercises in orientation camps while wearing a skirt.
In the same vein, wearing a skirt during gymnastic activities such as rope climbing in camp, makes a lady vulnerable and (to be) objectified by some fellow male corps members and military personnel. Without mincing words, the insistence by the Christian ladies on wearing long skirts is their own personal religious conviction.
But one wonders how it would look like if adherents of other religious faiths also start adjusting their service kits to suit the demands of their religious injunctions. On a personal note, methinks if the uniform style does not devalue the NYSC dress code and is not harmful to the wearers (female corps members), then the Scheme’s management can still find a way round to navigate the controversial issue or better still, just tolerate it.
But the caveat is: such novel NYSC uniform styles should not restrict corps members from undergoing any rigorous and tedious physical exercise in the camp. To sum it up, it is important we accord absolute regard to the rules and regulations guiding any regimental setting. In the case of the NYSC, we expect none other than the corps members to see the well-articulated, noble and unambiguous does and don’ts of the Scheme, either as proverbial Holy Commandments or Articles of Faith which must not be desecrated. Not for any reason!
Usman Shuaibu Aisha,
Dept of Mass Communication, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai (IBBUL).