Featured
Shuaibu Ibrahim’s Twelve Month – Innovative Strides In NYSC
👆 L-R; Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim when assuming office as the 18th DG of NYSC during the handing over from his predecessor, Major General SZ Kazaure
Shuaibu Ibrahim’s Twelve Month – Innovative Strides In NYSC
By Emmanuel Obeni
The measure of a man and his relevance to society is not his affluence, but how much of himself he has given, or prepared to give to make life worthwhile to others, building people and institutions as well as engendering solid development for national growth.
Shuaibu Ibrahim, a Brigadier General in the Nigerian Army and the Director General, National Youth Service Corps in his one year sojourn in the service Corps has, in practical terms, validated the above assertion. The Nasarawa born General assumed duty as 18th Chief Executive of the NYSC on 10th May, 2019.
Head-hunted from the fledgling Nigerian Army University, Biu, which he was nurturing as the pioneer Registrar, Shuaibu Ibrahim arrived the NYSC headquarters surefooted, with the demeanour of a man in a hurry to accomplish a mission.
Ibrahim’s confidence certainly was borne out of the fact that he landed on a familiar turf, having had a stint with the Scheme over 20 years earlier as Military Assistant to a former Chief Executive of the Scheme.
However, the second coming of the General from the Army Education Corps was going to be more challenging as he was returning as the numero uno, on whose table the buck stops,. But he was well prepared. His trajectory in the academia as a teacher, lecturer, researcher, author among others capped with the highly revered academic glory of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree and his versatile experience in administration resulting from his various postings in the military made it possible for him to easily fit into his new role of managing an organisation whose main clients are vibrant graduate youths of institutions of higher learning.
With enviable academic laurels and vast experience in administration, General Ibrahim brought to the job an impressive profile that put him on good stead to steer the Scheme to higher heights which exactly is what he has been doing.
Ibrahim already had his job cut out before arriving the NYSC headquarters. The infrastructural deficits in many NYSC Orientation Camps, exponential explosion in Corps population, paucity of funds and post service unemployment, among others were the myriad of challenges the new Director General had to contend with. But then he hit the ground running. Apparently, his knowledge of the inner workings of the Scheme aided him to articulate his mission even before setting foot at Yakubu Gowon House, the National Directorate Headquarters of the NYSC.
On the very day he took over the mantle of leadership he unfolded his agenda which include: Sustain effective utilisation of the potentials of Corps Members for optimal benefit; Pursue a technologically driven organisation to deepen effective service delivery; Improve on the welfare and security of Corps Members and staff; Strengthen existing collaboration with stakeholders; and Reinvigorate NYSC Ventures and Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme in line with the NYSC Act for greater impact.
The first challenge the new DG had to confront was the issue of mobilisation of unqualified persons with fake or questionable degree certificates. Having identified the sources of such certificates, for the first time in the history of the Scheme, he promptly convened a meeting with the Registrars of some African Corps Producing Institutions at the end of which far reaching strategies were adopted to curb the trend. The result has been heartening as many illegal institutions, mostly in the West African sub region, where most of the phony certificates are procured, have been shut down. Also sixty-five fake Corps Members were apprehended during the 2019 Batch ‘B’ Stream Two Orientation Course and handed over to the security agencies for prosecution.
Similarly, out of over 20,000 foreign – trained prospective Corps Members invited for verification of the documents they uploaded for the 2019 Batch ‘C’ mobilisation, only about three thousand three hundred and twenty-one appeared for the exercise. The rest who apparently had skeletons in their cupboards were scared of the new Sheriff in town.
The novel troubleshooting approach employed by Ibrahim has led to a drastic reduction in cases of unqualified and fake Corps Members in the Scheme. The NYSC DG has sternly warned people with the dubious intention of compromising the integrity of the NYSC mobilisation process to desist as they will certainly be caught and made to face the consequences asserting that “Under my watch no unqualified person will be allowed to participate in the NYSC.”
With his profound intellect and knowledge, Shuaibu Ibrahim was quick to decipher that improving the fortunes of the NYSC is predicated largely on getting stakeholders to be alive to their statutory responsibilities to the Scheme, and they cannot do so if they are ignorant of such obligations.
It was in this regard that Ibrahim embarked on a nationwide sensitisation on the provisions of the NYSC Act. He convoked a meeting with representatives of State Governments and the FCT Adminstration to enlighten them on the roles and responsibilities of the various arms of government to the Scheme as enshrined in the NYSC Act.
In the same vein, he sought and secured audience with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum during which he impressed on them the need for the States to discharge their statutory responsibilities to the Scheme, in line with provisions of the Act. These include provision of befitting Orientation Camps and maintenance of same, accommodation for Corps Members, office accommodation for Area Offices and State Secretariats, release of State subvention, security of Corps Members and support for the Scheme’s Community Development Service.
Suffice it to say that these roles are complementary to those of the Federal Government which bears the heaviest cost of running the Scheme.
The interaction has started yielding fruits as many State and Local Governments have constituted statutory NYSC State Governing Boards and Local Government Committees, designed to pursue the welfare of Corps Members and smoothen the operations of the Scheme.
Anambra State Government for instance has built and recently handed over a brand new Orientation Camp to the NYSC, while Bayelsa State is on the verge of doing same. Several other States have embarked on comprehensive renovation and upgrade of facilities in their Orientation Camps.
In line with his administration’s goal to reinvigorate the NYSC Ventures and Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme for greater impact, the NYSC helmsman has in the last one year relentlessly pursued increased stakeholders’ involvement in the implementation of the programme through engagements with many of the Scheme’s existing collaborating partners and potential ones, with stunning results.
Some of the gains include collaboration with Unity Bank on funding of Business Plan Development programmes for Corps Members, partnership with the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) for empowerment of Corps Members with agricultural skill and business trainings, farm internship, mentoring and farm input supplies.
There is also a research – based collaboration with OAU-NACETEM sponsored by a Canadian Agency, International Development Research Centre which seeks to evaluate the impact of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED) with a view to reinvigorating it for more efficacy.
The implementation strategies of the programme have also been reviewed in conjunction with stakeholders and partners in a bid to enhance training and attract more funds.
General Ibrahim’s evidently fertile and positive imagination impelled him to recognise the imperative of seeking alternative ways of raising funds for the Scheme’s operations, due to paucity of funds. At his behest, there has been accelerated upgrading and repositioning of NYSC Ventures initiatives to raise revenue.
Consequently, new tractors and implements have been purchased for the NYSC rice farm in Ezillo, Abakaliki for massive production and processing of rice at the NYSC rice mill located in the same area. A new rice mill has been established for the NYSC rice farm in Saminaka, Kebbi State. Equipment for the mill are presently being installed.
Similarly, the NYSC Bakery and Water Factory at the FCT Orientation Camp, Kubwa have been resuscitated, and are currently supplying their products to consumers in the FCT and Nasarawa State.
These ventures are to be replicated in NYSC Orientation Camps across the country to serve the need of the Camps and generate revenue for the Scheme.
In the same vein, the deployment of ICT solutions to drive the operations of the Scheme for greater efficiency has been sustained by the administration of Ibrahim. In addition to harnessing the NYSC Integrated System online platform to enthrone a culture of integrity and efficiency in the Scheme’s operations, the DG is looking forward to leveraging on the gains from the advancement of ICT operations in order to raise the revenue of the Scheme.
Being the major product of the NYSC, Ibrahim is passionate about the welfare of Corps Members and considers it paramount as he reasons that “Corps Members are given to us on trust by their parents and the nation in general”. It is on this premise that he made it a point of duty to personally visit and commiserate with parents of Corps Members who lost their wards in unpleasant circumstances. Apart from visiting severally the family of Precious Owolabi, the Correspondent of Channels Television who was killed in the line of duty during the Shiite protests in Abuja, the NYSC DG has criss-crossed the country to condole with families of others that lost their lives or got injured in road traffic accidents whose hospital bills are usually underwritten by the Scheme.
NYSC expended the sum of N32 million for the procurement of smart prosthetic limbs for a Corps Member Nurudeen Tahir who lost his arm in a road traffic accident in Taraba State. The Corps Member had earlier lost his left hand at the age of 12. The prosthetic smart limb is an electronic device fitted with sensors and functions almost like normal hand. The NYSC in the past one year alone has spent over N100 million on such interventions, in addition to prompt settlement of Corps Members’ medical claims.
In addition, the Scheme is finalising arrangement with the National Health Insurance Scheme for the enrolment of Corps Members into the NHIS to provide health care to the Corps participants.
Furthermore, the Scheme under Ibrahim’s watch has through engagement with the relevant Agencies secured a review of Corps Members’ allowance from N19, 800 to N33, 000, in line with recent increase in the remuneration of public servants.
Notwithstanding the above accomplishments, the Scheme under Ibrahim’s leadership has sustained and intensified liaison with various security agencies so as to ensure that the safety of Corps Members is topnotch wherever they are serving in the country.
On Staff welfare, the 18the Chief Executive is not relenting either. Given that a motivated workforce is essential to the successful pursuit of the Scheme’s mandate, he considers enhancement of welfare of the staff imperative which is why it is one of his administration’s focal areas of concern.
While ensuring that entitlements of staff are promptly settled, he has intensified the tempo of capacity building training for staff to enhance their productivity.
Within one year, he has conducted two staff promotion exercises. During the last activity held in February, 2020, over eighty percent of staff that sat for the promotion exam got elevated to the next rank.
With his in-depth and penetrating insight, Ibrahim understands the benefits of effective communication. It is In this regard that he is pursuing with vigour the establishment of the NYSC Radio Station which is a novelty. The Scheme is already on the verge of securing a licence for the station. When it eventually comes to fruition, the radio station will boost the publicity drive of the Scheme, enable it tell its own story from the NYSC perspective and also serve as a training ground for Corps Members who have interest in broadcast journalism.
Ibrahim’s passion to showcase the relevance and contributions of the Scheme to national development is equally being pursued through the publication of a book on NYSC and national development. The compendium will comprehensively document the invaluable strides of the Scheme in Nigeria’s development, which unfortunately has remained largely underreported. The project was commissioned immediately he assumed duty as the DG.
As a strategy to prepare eligible graduates adequately for effective participation in the Scheme, he initiated engagement with the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission for the inclusion of National Service as one of the topics to be taught in General Studies in the nation’s Corps producing Institutions.
The outbreak of COVID -19 in Nigeria presented a leadership test and challenge which the Scheme under the prompting of Ibrahim rose to.
Determined to protect the Corps Members from contracting the deadly disease, the NYSC Scheme, under his leadership caused the suspension of 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Orientation exercise nationwide.
Beyond that, he went on to mobilise members of the Corps to assist in the fight against the spread of the disease. Corps Members across the country were challenged to produce hand sanitisers, liquid soap and facemasks which were produced and donated to the Federal and State Governments, as well as communities to help in containing the pandemic.
Some Corps Members serving in Kano and Kwara States fabricated pedal operated dispensers, dispensing water, liquid soap and sanitiser geared towards flattening COVID – 19 curve.
In addition, NYSC Orientation Camps across the country were quickly prepared for use as isolation centres, just as the Corps Medical Personnel were sensitised and deployed to assist their senior colleagues in the medical field in battling the pandemic which unarguably poses a formidable threat to humanity.
A personable gentleman with so much passion for work, which makes him a workaholic, Shuaibu Ibrahim exudes the sterling qualities of diligence, punctuality and fidelity to a worthy purpose – the core values that appear to be fast receding in our society.
His exemplary habit of consistently reporting to work very early before resumption time has influenced the attitude of staff in that direction; just as his unique leadership style that pulled down the barrier between the leader and the led has endeared him to both the staff and Corps Members.
For a man from the military, a constituency with a completely different orientation from the NYSC, Shuaibu Ibrahim has so far admirably and successfully navigated the bureaucratic bottlenecks which have always been a drawback to most Chief Executives – a feat that can be attributed to his frank and transparent trait which he applies in a unique administrative approach that resonates with staff of the Scheme.
Nonetheless, he does not compromise discipline. His prompt and decisive action on cases of staff indiscipline demonstrate that he does not take prisoners when it comes to disciplinary matters.
Indeed, Ibrahim brings to the table qualities that are rare in our clime. He exhibits attitude that eloquently speak about his philanthropic and humane nature.
Interestingly, he is different from so many who have attained the same height, but struggle when it comes to being humane.
According to him, “What brings smile to my face is when I touch fellow human beings; I go to bed and sleep a happy person… I am ready to sacrifice all that I have for the joy of a person.”
In a country where personal interests are pursued brutally without regard to the welfare of others, Ibrahim is rather a refreshing oasis.
In all, Shuaibu Ibrahim has largely been true to his pledge when he assumed duty. “I see my second coming as a privilege and honour. I am determined to sustain what my predecessors started, improve on what they have also done and move the Scheme to a higher pedestal”, he said.
His antecedents in the past one year in the helm of affairs of the NYSC truly testify to his faithfulness to this solemn promise. With his unique disposition and cutting – edge leadership, there is no doubt that the NYSC is in safe hands, and certainly on the path to attaining the higher pedestal as envisioned and propelled by Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim.
Featured
How Ogundiya Folarin Oladapo Crossed The Border For Safety
Ogundiya Folarin Oladapo. Is a Nigerian citizen from Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State. Ago Iwoye, a relative, spoke to our reporter extensively about the whereabouts of Ogundiya and the circumstances that compelled him to flee the country and why he may be scared to return.
According to Mr Iwoye, Ogundiya was faced with persecution and threats to his life owing to his sexual orientation. He was born and raised in Ogun State, Nigeria. He grew up in an environment where family, community, culture and religious beliefs played important roles in everyday life. Ogundiya had always considered his hometown a place of belonging. His family, childhood experiences, friendships and memories were all connected to that environment.
Ogundiya is a quiet, simple and easy-going person. He had never been someone who enjoys conflict or confrontation. His greatest desire was to live an ordinary life, maintain meaningful relationships and build a future for himself.
However, there is a deeply personal aspect of his identity that has made living in Nigeria extremely difficult for him. He is a bisexual. Yes! I don’t think he chose to be so. And it is not something he can simply change because of the expectations of society. His sexual orientation is part of who he is.
Growing up in Nigeria, he understood that same-sex relationships were strongly condemned by many people. He knew that being identified as a gay or a bisexual could result in discrimination, rejection, humiliation, violence and serious legal consequences.
For these reasons, Ogundiya, I presumed, kept his sexuality private. He did not feel safe openly discussing his feelings or relationships. He was constantly conscious of the possible consequences if people discover this aspect of his life.
He was not hiding because he was ashamed of being human. He was hiding because he was afraid of what people might do if they found out.
On 21st September 2026, his life took a frightening turn. His mobile phone was faulty and he needed to make some important calls, so he took his younger brother’s phone, to make a call to his work place, but unfortunately the first message that popped in was that of his partner who had been worried for not reaching him for some days and wanted to pass an important message to him, his brother saw the message first and all the doubt about his sexually orientation was cleared as he has been so suspicious of Ogundiya for some time because of his closeness to his partner whom they always disguised as friends. He immediately reported to other members of his family. Part of the message read:
“Guy, we are in big trouble. Our romantic secret is now public. Someone was monitoring us. Please, stay in the dark for now.”
When he received and understood the seriousness of that message, he became extremely worried. It suggested that someone had been monitoring their private relationship and that information about them had reached other people.
What he had spent a long time keeping private was suddenly exposed.
The discovery also came as a shock to his family because they had not previously known about his bisexuality. He was frightened about their reaction and, more importantly, about the possibility that other people in the community would find out.
The situation quickly escalated, because his brother told one of his friends who also told other people in their small community. Surprisingly, a group of people gathered around his family residence, demanding to see Ogundiya, they were angry about his sexuality and were making threatening statements.
He could hear people saying he is gay and calling for his punishment. Some were demanding that he should be killed through mob justice, while others were threatening to hand him over to the police for prosecution.
At that moment, Ogundiya realised that his life was in danger.
He was terrified when he realised that the people gathering outside were looking for him.
He could not confidently rely on anyone to protect him and he knew that remaining inside the house could expose him to serious harm.
In the confusion, Ogundiya managed to escape through a latrine window and made his way into the nearby alleyways.
He left without shoes and sustained bruises during his escape; no opportunity to collect his belongings or make any proper arrangements. The only important things he managed to take with him were his passport and a small envelope containing some emergency money.
As he moved away from the house, people were shouting accusations and threatening to deal with him because of his sexuality, some of their allegations were that if he is allowed to stay alive that he will influence younger people in the community. “As for me, as his relative, I can’t contribute to harming him because I didn’t create him.” Owoye said.
Ogundiya was deeply frightened. He could not believe that the place where he had grown up and lived with his family had suddenly become somewhere he could no longer feel safe.
He had not committed any act of violence against anybody. He was being threatened because of his sexual orientation and a private relationship. But to be honest, both our tradition and the government law forbid such practices among men. Even women are forbidden to indulge in same sex relations, it is a grievous taboo and it could attract serious consequences such as death, Iwoye said.
“The possibility of being attacked by a mob was particularly frightening because he knew how such situations could become uncontrollable. He was also afraid of being arrested and prosecuted under Nigeria’s laws concerning same-sex relationships.”
But the public may want to know how he fled the country? I can only attribute it to divine powers. Because all of us are sinners. Maybe the Almighty God has not finished with him.
However, Ogundiya told me that initially, he considered relocating to another state in Nigeria. He thought that perhaps moving far away from Ogun State would allow him to start again without the people who had threatened him knowing where he was.
However, the more he considered this option, the more afraid he became.His concern was that the hostility towards people with his sexual orientation was not limited to his hometown. He feared that he could face similar treatment elsewhere if his sexuality became known.
He was also worried about the legal consequences of being identified as bisexual and the possibility of being reported to the authorities.
He did not believe that simply moving to another state would provide lasting protection. He could potentially spend the rest of his life hiding his identity, avoiding relationships and constantly worrying about being discovered.
He, therefore, began looking for a way to leave Nigeria.
His decision was not motivated by a desire to abandon his family, culture or country. He left because he was afraid for his life and believed that remaining in Nigeria would expose him to further persecution.
Because he had limited resources and did not know how to arrange a safe journey out of Nigeria, he began looking for assistance.
During this period, he came into contact with a man named Chinedu, who was from the eastern part of Nigeria.
He told him that he could facilitate his movement across the border into a neighbouring country. He demanded a substantial amount of money for the journey and assured Ogundiya that he could help him get across.
He was desperate to leave Nigeria. He was frightened, vulnerable and had very few alternatives. He eventually paid the amount he requested because he believed that Chinedu would help him reach safely.
Unfortunately, the journey did not turn out as he had expected.
At some point during the journey, he was taken to a rural transit camp. The location was unfamiliar to him and he had limited access to money, communication and independent means of travelling.
Ogundiya became increasingly dependent on Chinedu because he did not know the area or how to continue the journey alone.
It was during this period that Chinedu allegedly began taking advantage of his vulnerability.
He experienced sexual molestation, physical coercion and intimidation. Ogundiya was subjected to unwanted advances and pressure, accompanied by threats that he could be abandoned or handed over to local police or hostile individuals.
He felt completely helpless. The person he had trusted to help him escape danger had become another source of danger.
He was particularly frightened because he had already experienced threats in Nigeria and did not want to find himself in another situation where his sexuality could be used against him.
The experience affected Ogundiya deeply. He felt violated, humiliated and emotionally overwhelmed. He found it difficult to speak about what had happened because of the shame and fear associated with the experience.
He had left his home in search of safety, but he found himself being exploited by someone who knew how desperate he was.
Eventually, he found an opportunity to escape from the transit camp.
He left during the night and began walking along isolated dirt roads. He did not have a reliable means of transportation, and he was uncertain about where the roads would lead.
He continued walking because he was afraid of being discovered and taken back.
After walking for several miles, he eventually reached a major humanitarian post near the border. By then, he was physically exhausted and visibly distressed.
He stopped to rest because he was struggling to continue walking.
He was pale, tired and emotionally drained. He had experienced more than he could easily explain, and he desperately needed assistance.
While he was resting near the humanitarian post, a Nigerian man travelling by car towards the neighbouring country noticed him.
He stopped his vehicle and approached Ogundiya. He introduced himself as Olamide, a Yoruba man from Osun State.
Initially, Ogundiya was afraid to speak to him. After his last experience with Chinedu, he found it difficult to trust another stranger.
However, when he discovered that Olamide was also Yoruba, he became a little more comfortable.
Eventually, he explained what had happened to him to Olamide. He told him about the threats against him in Ogun State, the circumstances surrounding his escape from home, his journey with Chinedu and the exploitation he had experienced at the transit camp.
Ogundiya became emotional while explaining everything because the experience had been extremely traumatic.
Olamide listened to him and appeared deeply affected by his account.
Olamide told Ogundiya that his circumstances reminded him of his younger biological brother, who had reportedly experienced a similar situation after his bisexuality became known.
He explained that his brother had narrowly escaped mob violence and had subsequently been assisted in travelling to Europe because of fears of persecution and prosecution in Nigeria.
Olamide introduced himself as a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and said he would try to assist Ogundiya in finding safety abroad.
He promised to help arrange his journey to Europe, where he could seek protection and have an opportunity to rebuild his life.
At that point, he was emotionally exhausted and uncertain about what would happen next. However, his offer gave Ogundiya some hope that he might finally escape the circumstances that had placed his life in danger.
A few weeks after meeting Olamide, he fulfilled his promise and arranged for Ogundiya to travel to Dublin, Ireland.
His arrival in Ireland was a significant moment in his life. He had gone through fear, uncertainty, threats, exploitation and a difficult journey before eventually reaching a place where he could seek protection.
He was relieved to have reached Ireland, although the experiences he had gone through continued to affect him emotionally.
He is afraid to return to Nigeria because the circumstances that forced him to leave have not been resolved.
His sexuality was exposed in his community, and he was threatened by people who wanted to punish him because of it.
He fears that if he returns, he could be recognised, exposed again or subjected to further threats and violence.
Ogundiya is also afraid of the possibility of being reported to the police and facing prosecution under the laws criminalising same-sex relationships and conduct.
The experience of escaping from his family home remains deeply distressing. He remembered having to leave through the window, without shoes or belongings, because he feared what the people outside might do to him
He also cannot forget the exploitation he experienced during his journey. He had trusted someone because he was desperate to escape persecution, only to find himself in another frightening situation.
These experiences have made him fearful of returning to the circumstances from which he escaped.
He did not believe that moving to another part of Nigeria would necessarily resolve his difficulties. His concern is that the underlying hostility and legal risks associated with his sexual orientation would remain.
He wanted to live in a place where he could exist without constantly fearing that his identity would become a reason for violence, humiliation or imprisonment.
He did not leave Nigeria because he wanted to abandon his country or because he was looking for an easier life elsewhere.
He left because he was frightened for his safety and believed that he had no realistic way of protecting himself in the circumstances he faced.
He lost the security of his home, became separated from the people and surroundings he had known throughout his life, and experienced further exploitation while trying to escape.
The journey to Ireland was difficult, but it offered him an opportunity to seek protection and live with dignity.
He respectfully asks the Irish authorities to consider his circumstances, the threats he experienced, his sexual orientation, the circumstances of his departure from Nigeria and his genuine fear of returning.
He wanted an opportunity to rebuild his life without having to hide who he is or live under the constant threat of violence and persecution.
What can one do? Here in Nigeria, same sex relationships are prohibited and myself and others of his relatives wish that he lives his life as his God created him. Ogundiya had wanted a simple life without fear or threat of prosecution.
-
Featured7 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured7 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured7 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured7 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured5 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Featured7 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
-
Sports4 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News2 years agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
2 Comments