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Brace Up For Better, Effective Orientation, NYSC Acting DG Charges Stakeholders

Published

3 years ago

January 5, 2023

Joel Ajayi

In preparation to have a smooth, efficient, effective and successful orientation exercises in the year 2023, the Scheme in charge of youth in the country, National Youth Service Corps NYSC has laid a good foundation for the year with commencement of Pre-Mobilization workshop.

The 2023 Batch ‘A’ Pre-Mobilization Workshop was planned to review performances and work out new strategies for better outcomes and suggesting ways of improving performance to stakeholders should not be considered an exclusive responsibility of the NYSC, but a collective one.

While Speaking at the Pre-Mobilization held on Thursday in Abuja, the Acting Director General of NYSC Mrs Christy Uba charged all the officers to brace up for better and successful exercise.

The event with the theme, “Enhancing the Performance of Stakeholders’ Role for Effective Mobilization Process,” will no doubt reflects determination to ensure that all stakeholders are more committed and effective in the discharge of their responsibilities.

According to her, as you are already aware, we have, in the last few years, introduced several measures to eliminate flaws and improve the process.

“However, there are still shortcomings, including outright infractions by some Corps Producing Institutions. Therefore, this Workshop will appraise the performance of key stakeholders with a view to coming up with ways of overcoming the observed shortcomings.

She however called on the Student Affairs Officer of institutions to always verify the data of their students before uploading it for mobilization and as well ensuring correct dates of graduation for their students.

“In our previous engagements with the Student Affairs Officers (SAOs), we have severally emphasized that they had responsibilities of supervising data entry; engaging the School Management on issues of policy implementation; briefing of final year students and maintaining constant touch with the NYSC schedule officers on matters of Mobilisation.

“This job is enormous and requires requisite knowledge and passion for quality work. This is why we keep dissuading CPIs from effecting frequent changes of SAOs.

“The high number of PCMs stranded in Camps during the 2022 Batch ‘C’ Streams I and II Orientation Courses casts serious doubt on the competence of some Data Entry Officers (DEOs). Or how could a school make a mistake on the date of graduation of all the Prospective Corps Members uploaded for the whole batch?

“This happened despite our repeated clarifications on the date of graduation and the resolutions made at previous workshops. During the peak period of Camp registration, it was disappointing to note that some SAOs relied on phone communication with their stranded graduates to reconcile the dates of graduation on Statements of Results and Certificates.

“This was a clear sign of poor record keeping by the institutions involved. It was saddening that the negligence of a few people caused untold hardship to the affected youths. Our saving grace is that the graduates are now aware that their predicaments are caused by their schools.”

Acting DG therefore called on SAOs, DEOs and other officers saddled with record keeping to be alive to their responsibilities. Let me also warn that we stand by our resolve not to either correct or register cases with disparities in dates of graduation with effect from the 2023 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Course. All corrections must be done before PCMs proceed to Camp.

In his keynote address, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory Malam Musa Bello who was represented at the occasion by the Director of Human Resources of FCTA Alhaji Muhammed Bashir expressed that, NYSC has contributed to the growth and development of Nigeria over the first five decades and must be properly nurtured to bring more growth to the scheme and to the nation at large.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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