By Nkechi Eze
Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has advised Corps Members to adopt prudent spending habits and develop a savings culture that would serve them beyond their service year.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Director, Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the DG gave the charge while addressing 2024 Batch ‘A’ Stream II Corps Members at the Kogi State Orientation Camp in Asaya and the Kwara State Orientation Camp in Yikpata.
He emphasized the importance of peace and mutual respect among Corps Members and with their host communities, urging them to accommodate diverse opinions and show maturity in all interactions. “Make friends among yourselves. Your ability to accommodate divergent opinions is a sign of maturity,” he said.
He encouraged Corps Members to respect the customs and traditions of the communities they’ll be posted to, stressing the need for cultural tolerance and personal growth. “Respect and appreciate what your hosts are doing that is different from your communities so that you can learn from them,” he added.
“Try and save for future use. Savings lead to investments and whatever you save today becomes a gift to you tomorrow,” Nafiu advised. He also challenged them to contribute meaningfully to the development of their host communities so their legacies would be remembered long after the service year.
General Nafiu urged Corps Members to pay full attention to lectures during the Orientation Exercise, describing them as valuable references throughout their service year.
While presenting the situation report in Kogi, the State Coordinator, Mr. Femi Osungbohun, disclosed that 1,776 Corps Members were registered at the camp 850 males and 926 females, including those dislodged from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He further broke down the figures: Kogi had 622 males and 648 females, while the FCT had 228 males and 278 females. He added that all Corps Members were well-behaved and actively participating in camp activities.
Similarly, in Kwara State, the State Coordinator, Mr. Joshua Onifade, reported that 2,290 Corps Members were registered, 1,064 males and 1,226 females. Out of this number, 1,117 were dislodged from Lagos State.
The visit underlined the DG’s ongoing commitment to youth empowerment, financial discipline, social harmony, and impactful national service.
