No fewer than 4,335 corps members have been deployed to Lagos State by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to participate in the 2024 Batch C Stream 1 orientation course, which will last for 21 days.
The new state coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Christiana Salmwang, made this announcement on Friday during the official swearing-in ceremony of the new corps members at the state’s temporary orientation camp in Iyana-Ipaja.
The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, who was represented by Justice Oyindamola Adesola Ogala, administered the oath of allegiance to the new corps members at the event.
At the end of the three-week exercise, the new corps members, who are from different states of the federation, will be deployed to their places of primary assignment across the 20 local government areas of Lagos State for their one-year mandatory national service.
Mrs Salmwang further stated that of the total number of new corps members, 1,484 are males, while the rest are females, including those relocated to Oyo and Osun states for their orientation course due to inadequate space in the Lagos camp.
She explained that the orientation course aims to adequately prepare the new graduates for the “complex task of nation-building.”
The corps members will undergo military drills, skills acquisition and entrepreneurial training, sports, social activities, and other developmental exercises ahead of their deployment for primary assignments.
Additionally, Mrs Salmwang emphasised that the orientation course would help the corps members imbibe national culture and values such as empathy, emotional intelligence, de-tribalization, and leadership skills that would enable them to add substantial value to themselves and the country at large.
“You are expected to join the vanguard of youths in the service of Nigeria, play your role in unity, integrity, and unflinching loyalty, and also avail yourselves of all the opportunities provided by this program to the best of your ability,” she stressed. “Also, think of what you can do for Nigeria and not what Nigeria can do for you.”
Mrs Salmwang commended the Lagos State government for its strong and consistent support and cooperation with NYSC over the years, noting that the efforts were instrumental to the success the organisation has recorded. She particularly referenced the ongoing construction of a permanent orientation camp for the state, urging the state government to expedite the work and ensure its timely completion.
In his address at the event, the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mr Mobalaji Ogunlende, congratulated the new corps members on the successful completion of their studies, which qualified them for the one-year national youth service in a state like Lagos.
He urged them to be disciplined, follow the camp rules and regulations, always be law-abiding, play safe, and take full advantage of the mentorship, entrepreneurial programs, and networking opportunities the scheme provides.
“These trainings, programs, and values are designed to help you attain self-sufficiency and financial independence during and beyond the service year,” the governor added, pledging continued support for the organisation and wishing all the new corps members well.
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