By Simeon Bankole
The former State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps in Ondo State, Mr. Andrew Jaiye Ojumu has asserted corps members that the decision they are likely to take during the service year will go a long way to determine how far they would go in life.
Mr. Ojumu, who retired from the noble Scheme as Deputy Director made the assertion while delivering the Motivational Lecture to the 2023 Batch ‘B’ (Stream II) corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko.
The retired Deputy Director said that the statement of fact was arrived at as a result of years of research and empirical study considering the quality of training and lectures corps members are exposed to during the orientation course and throughout the service year.
“My children in the national service, I am qualified as a parent and an administrator who has mentored and still mentoring youths to let you know that you cannot access the qualitative leadership training and mentoring programmes you have in NYSC in tertiary institutions because the curriculum is tailored towards learning.
“In NYSC, competent, certified, thoroughbred and experienced professionals are engaged to give the corps members a direction that practically let them know the realities of life and this will subsequently and convincingly shape their thinking and thoughts as well as modify their perception.”
He said that corps members should study critically the orientation course contents which have been designed to toughen the members of the service corps as well as prepare them for the challenges they are likely to face during and after the service year.
Ojumu, who is known for his versatility quoted copiously from established and renowned authors the concept of leadership and challenged the corps members to brace all odds towards achieving greatness.
According to the erstwhile Deputy Director, Corps Welfare and Health Services Department at the Directorate Headquarters, corps members should appreciate the Scheme for giving them a sense of responsibility and equally for ensuring that they are given challenging tasks at their various places of primary assignment, which ultimately prepare them for a successful post-service life.
The senior citizen opined that corps members should focus on how to create something out of the perceived nothing saying that necessity as a mother of invention should open their minds to opportunity within the Scheme.
“You have heard much from respected speakers since the beginning of the orientation course and I want to lay credence and support to what they have said about Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme which will take you beyond your imagination and I want you to make hay while the sun shines.”
He acknowledged their comportment and display of a high degree of discipline which he attributed to the administrative competence of the amiable State Coordinator and her indefatigable team.
The State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani has earlier expressed appreciation to the retired Deputy Director for accepting to come to the Sunshine State to share his wealth of experience with the ‘kings and queens’ of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mrs. Ani while acknowledging the intellectual prowess of the former State Coordinator, charged the corps members to avail themselves of the lifetime opportunity to have one one-on-one interaction with one of the outstanding administrators of the Scheme.
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