In Nigeria's coat of arms, there is an eagle mounted on
a black shield which is trisected by two silver wavy bands.
Two white charges support the shield and at its base is a
wreath of cactus spectabilis flower cast in the national colours
of white and green.
The black shield represents the fertile soil; the silver bands
denote the Niger and Benue Rivers which form the main inland
waterways in the country. The cactus spectabilis is a wild colourful
flower which grows widely in Nigeria. The eagle stands for strength,
and the charges symbolise dignity.
The Nation's motto is Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.
A BRIEF NOTE ON THE NIGERIA NATIONAL FLAG
The flag is divided vertically into three equal parts.
The central part is white and the two outer parts are green.
The green of the flag represents agriculture and the white is for unity and peace.
Mr. Taiwo Akinkunmi, at the time a 25-year-old Nigerian engineering
student at the Norwood Technical College, London was the designer of the
National flag. At the open competition held by order of the Council of Ministers,
a total of 2,870 designers were received in the National Flag Competition.
Mr. Akinkunmi's won.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
Arise, O compatriots,
Nigeria's call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past,
Shall never be in vain.
To serve with heart and might,
One nation bound in freedom,
Peace and Unity.
Guide our leaders right;
Help our youths the truth to know,
In love and honesty to grow,
And living just and true;
Great lofty heights attain,
To build a nation and where peace
and justice shall reign.
NYSC ANTHEM
Youths obey the Clarion call
Let us lift our nation high
Under the sun or in rain
With dedication, and selfessness
Nigeria is ours Nigeria we serve
Members, take the great salute
Put the Nation first in all
With service and humaility
NYSC for the noble Youths
Make Nigeria a great nation.
Far and near we come to serve
And to buid our fatherland
With oneness and loyalty
NYSC for unity
Hail Nigeria our great nation.
BACKGROUND TO THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS SCHEME
A. Nigeria is a country whose colonial history and experience In the immediate
post-independence era were characterised By ethnic loyalties, mutual group
suspicion and distrust, thatCulminated in the traumatic events of a bloody
civil war.
B. As a developing country. Nigeria is further plagued by the problems
attendant upon a condition of under development,namely; poverty, mass
illiteracy, acute shortage of high-skilled manpower (coupled with most uneven
distributionof the skilled people that are avaliable), woefully inadequate
socio-economic infrastructural facilities, I.e. housing, water and sewage
facilities, road, health-care services, and effective communication system.
C. Faced with these almost intractable problems, which were further
compounded by the burden of reconstruction after the civil war, the government
and people of Nigeria set for the country, fresh goals, and objectives aimed at
establishing Nigeria as:
(a) a united, strong and self-reliant nation:
(b) a great and dynamic economy;
(c) a land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens; and
(d) a free and democratic society.
D. The government and people of Nigeria are not aware that Sound and patriotic
leadership is a pre-condition for the Rapid social and economic development of
the country.As a nation, Nigeria has been less fortunate in the kind of
leadership that emerge to govern the affairs of the country in the period
immediately after independence, a leadershipWhose achievements notwithstanding
was none the less ill-prepared, and generally not properly motivated to tackle
the Problems of socio-economic under development in the interest of the country
as a whole.
E. There is no gain saying the fact that the future of any country depends on
the youths. The youths of Nigeria acknowledge this fact, and have consistently
laid claim to the nation's Leadership.
F. While one may give credence to the saying that leaders are born, not made,
one must also concede to the fact thatleadership in a modern society requires a
certain degree of preparation and orientation before the assumption of that
role.
G. The universities and other institutions of higher learning are normally
expected to be training ground for future leaders,except that, as we are all
aware, these institutions are first and foremost committed to the advancement of
learning and knowledge, training of people for good citizenship. Little wonder
that the products of these institutions have been accused of being too elitist
in their outlook, of not identifying with the plight of common amn and of
inability to appreciate predicament of the vast majority of our people who live
in the rural areas.
H. It was the need to look beyond the immediate present and to think of the
future leadership of the country that necessitated the mobilisation of certain
categories of our youths through the National Youth Service Corps Scheme. This
was done with a view to giving them the proper guidance andorientation relevant
to the needs of the country. The National Youth Service Corps Decree No. 24
which has now been repealed and repleaced by Decree 51 of 16th June 1993, was
then, formally promulgated.
1. The purpose of the scheme is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian Youth the
spirit of selfless service to the community, and to emphasize the spirit of
oneness and brotherhood of all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or social
background. The history of our country since independence has clearly indicated
the need for unity amongst all our people, and demonstrated the fact that no
cultural or geographical entity can exist in isolation.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME
(i) The objectives of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme Are clearly spelt
out in Decree No, 51 of 16th June 1993 as Follows:
(a) to inculcate discipline in Nigerian youths by instilling in them a tradition
of industry at work, and of patriotic and loyal service to Nigeria in any
situation they may find themselves;
(b) to raise the moral tone of the Nigerian youths by giving them the
opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievement, social and
cultural improvement;
(c) to develop in the Nigerian youths the attitudes of mind, acquired through
shared experience and suitable training, which will make them more amenable to
mobilisation in the national interest;
(d) to enable Nigerian youths acquire the spirit of self reliance by encouraging
them to develop skills for self employment;
(e) to contribute to the accelerated growth of the national economy;
(f) to develop common ties among the Nigerian youths and promote national
unity and integration;
(g) to remove prejudices, eliminate ignorance and confirmat firm hand the many
similarities among Nigerians ofall ethnic groups; and
(h) to develop a sense of corporate existence and common destiny of the people
of Nigeria.
(ii) In order to achieve the objectives in subsection (3) of this section,
the service corps shall ensure:-
(a) the equitable distribution of members of the service corps and the effective
utilisation of their skills in area of national needs;
(b) that as far as possible, youths are assigned to jobs in states other than
their state of origin;
3. OPERATION OF THE SCHEME
(a) The Decree set up a National Directorate comprising a Chairman, the
Director-Generator, Representatives of Committees of Vice Chancellors,
Rectors, the Armed Forces, Police, the Nigerian Employers Consultative
Association, and three special Members.
(b) The Directorate is the governing and policy making body of the National
Youth Service Corps. The Director General is the Chief Executive of the Scheme
while the Co-ordinator is in Charge of the State Secretariat.
(c) The Decree also provides for the establishment of a Governing Board in each
state of the federation.The State Governing Board has a statutory responsibility
to assist the Directorate in the smooth operation of the scheme in the state.
(d) The Decree also established local governing committees and State Zonal
Officers to assist in the operation of the scheme at the grassroots level.
ELIGIBILITY FOR NATIONAL SCHEME
(a)Participation in the National Youth Service Corps is compulsory for the
following categories of Nigeria graduates:
(i) If, at the end of the academic year 1972 - 73 or, as the case may be, at the
end of any subsequent academic year, he shall have graduated at any University
in Nigeria; or
(ii) If, at the end of the academic year 1974 - 76 or, as the case may be, at
the end of any subsequent year, he shall have graduated at any University
outside Nigeria; or
(iii) If, at the end of the academic year1975-76 or, as the case may be, at
the end of any subsequent year, he shall have obtained the Higher National
Diploma, or such other professional qualification as may be prescribed ; or
(iv) If, at the end of the academic year1975-76 or, as the case may be, at
the end of any subsequent year up to the end of the 1983-84 academic year, he
shall have obtained the National Certificate of Education, be under an
obligation, unless exempted under subsection (2) of this section or section 17
of this Decree, to make himself available for service for a continous period of
one year from the date specified in the call-up instrument served upon him.
(b) Not withstanding the provisions of sub-section (1) of this section, with
effect from 1st August, 1985, a person shall not be called up to serve in the
service corps if, at the date of his graduation or obtaining his diploma or
other professional qualification:
(i) he is over the age of thirty; or
(ii) he has served in the Armed Forces of the Federation or the Nigeria Police
Force for a period of more than nine months; or
(iii) he is member of staff of any of the following, that is
1. the Nigerian Security Organisation, or
2. th State Security Service, or
3. the National in
