By Onwukwe Ezeru
Special Correspondent, Umuahia
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members should not reject posting to any part of the country over fear of molestation or of being killed, because their call up is for nation-building.
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, gave the advice when NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Suleiman Kazaure visited him at Government House, Owerri.
In neighbouring Abia State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu assured of safety for NYSC members posted to the state despite the national security challenge.
Ikpeazu made the pledge at the end of the orientation camp of 2016 Batch ‘A’ corps members deployed to Abia.
Okorocha urged them to regard their posting as a test of patriotism, which means both the fear of the law and the love of country.
“Even the greatest love a man can show for his nation is that he dies to save his nation. We must therefore never, for reasons of terrorism or cult activities, refuse to fight this battle of the indivisibility of the nation.
“We must remain so united. The essence of the NYSC is integration. Our country is going through a very difficult moment and harassment by men of the underworld who have organised themselves to humiliate, kill, and maim people,” Okorocha said.
“The NYSC members should be bold to stand up and serve their fatherland without fear of terrorism. Time has also come for the NYSC members to begin to receive some forms of military training for reasons of self defence.
“The most humiliating case is to see a man with gun who ordinarily cannot beat you face to face but because of the piece of metal he has, he treats you like shit. That is most painful.”
Okorocha described Kazaure as a vibrant soldier with integrity, saying Nigeria is in dire need of such men and women to contribute their quota to the development of the country.
He charged Kazaure to use his appointment to prove his God-given talent, because those who misuse such privilege are bad leaders.
Kazaure said he was in Imo to acquaint himself with the NYSC camp, as he is new on the job.
He commended Okorocha for the camp he is building for the NYSC in the state.
Ikpeazu, represented by his Youth Development Commissioner, Hagler Okorie, said Abians are kind, loving, and willing to receive visitors.
“I urge you to mix freely with your host communities and respect their culture, values, and traditions. On our own part, this administration will continue to give the necessary support and enabling environment needed for you to serve effectively.
“I enjoin all the local government transition committee chairmen to assist in providing residential accommodation for these corps members to enable them put in their best,” he stressed
Ikpeazu told NYSC members to “accept your posting in good faith and be guided by the fundamental motto of the scheme which is ‘service and humility’ and ensure you leave indelible footprints here in Abia State.”
State NYSC Coordinator, Francesca Ifon, disclosed that 1,616 corps members who registered for the orientation course were trained in areas that would help them become self employed amid shortage of white collar jobs.
She lauded them for their co-operation in the camp.
“I am proud to inform you that these youths exhibited real sense of humility and patriotism.
“I wish to state that the flags we used to decorate the camp; and maintenance of electrical faults and security light, plumbing work was done by the corpers. They performed better than their female counterparts,” Ifon said.
She thanked Ikpeazu’s wife, Nkechi, for donating food items and other materials to the camp, adding that she made history for being the first wife of a governor to visit corps members in the camp.
Ifon urged corps members to be good ambassadors of the NYSC by putting into practice the good things they learned in the camp.
