The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has called on corps members across the country to always keep their uniforms safe as an act of patriotism.
Mr Stephen Gabriel, Deputy Director, Research, Statistics and Library, NYSC , made the call in Bauchi on Thursday, during the collection of certificates by the 2022 Batch B stream 1 corps members.
According to him, it would be unpatriotic to mutilate or give it out to members of the society who have no connections and reverence with the uniform, thereby throwing its dignity in the mud.
“I’m quite sure that in your communities or localities where you served, you might have found one or two people to hand over your uniform after your service.
“Please, I want you to note that this uniform you are wearing is the only uniform in the whole world that if you are not a graduate, you can never wear it.
“I’m not belittling others that have uniforms, but this uniform is very special and unfortunately some of you look at it as just a mere uniform.
“We have seen cases where a madman came to a main road trafficking and confidently, he has the crested vest of NYSC or even a tricycle rider put on the uniform,” he said.
Gabriel, who is also the Curator, NYSC Museum, recounted how a man who had served since 1983 kept his crested vest till his daughter was going for service in 2021and handed it over to her.
He said the story went viral online and when the then Director-General of NYSC, Shuaibu Ibrahim saw it and asked him to go and get it.
“NYSC recognized that the man’s gesture is one of the lovely acts of patriotism for him to have kept 1983 NYSC crested vest till 2021.
“That is what we expect you to do with your uniforms. If you are not going to keep it please, don’t hand it over to any other person,” he said.
Also speaking, the Bauchi State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Rifkatu Yakubu, said a total number of 458 corps members comprising 295 males and 163 females had just passed out.
Yakubu, who stated that the corps members had contributed their quota to nation building and national development, urged them to shun crime or criminal activities.
She urged them to focus on the skills acquisition by learning hand works that would make them become employers of labour.
