Colonel Ahmadu Ali (Rtd), the first Chief Executive of the National Youth Service Corps, has said that the Scheme is here to stay.
Ali said this while meeting with Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, the current Director-General of the NYSC, who came to see him at his home in Abuja.
Ahmadu Ali said that the NYSC has won over the Nigerian people over the past fifty years by offering a variety of activities and services and being well-known across the country.
Colonel Ali, who was the National Director of the NYSC (now called Director-General), complimented General Yakubu Gowon for his visionary leadership. He said that the NYSC is a program that would last and continue to be important.
The first Chief Executive of the NYSC said that the Scheme is very important for bringing people together in Nigeria. He said, “people can go to other states that they wouldn’t normally go to.”
He said again that the NYSC helps young Nigerians learn how to deal with problems by pushing them out of their comfort zones, which makes them more tolerant of each other.
Colonel Ali also praised the Scheme’s leaders for working hard to keep the vision of the founding fathers alive.
He said he was proud of the NYSC and that the misgivings Nigerian graduates had about it at first, which led to protests against its creation, have now turned into excitement and hope. He promised to keep praying for it to be strong.
Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, the Director-General of the NYSC, said that the reason for his visit was to honor him as the founding Chief Executive of the NYSC and recognize the strong foundation he laid at the beginning, which has kept the Scheme stable for more than 50 years.
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