Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade ll on Friday lamented that the age-long and laudable objective of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programmes was under serious threat as a result of the seemingly intractable problem of insecurity ravaging the land.
The monarch, while hosting the management team of the NYSC in Oyo State led by the State Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Ogbuogebe at his Alarere residence, called on the Federal Government to put more efforts in the fight against insecurity.
He noted that, “The level of insecurity is fast eroding the noble idea and objective of the founding fathers of the scheme that remains one of the best attempts to unify the country.
“Today, an average parent would not want his or her child to go far away from the home state in the name of national service because of the fear of the unknown which was unheard of in years past. The gains of the NYSC scheme are too precious to be discarded on the altar of insecurity”, Olubadan added.
Recalling his experience on his return to the country from the United Kingdom in 1972 when he had offers to either work at the then University of Ife (UNIFE) now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife or Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria he said he chose Zaria because he wanted to know his country.
The monarch said such a decision was made then because everywhere was safe and secured for all and sundry.
Earlier, Ogbuogebe said the visit was to felicitate with Oba Balogun on his ascension of the throne, stressing that the entire management was on camp during the installation/coronation in March this year which made it impossible for her team to be part of the epoch -making event.
She reeled out numerous achievements of the scheme across the country as well as the various interventions being made in the critical sectors of national life including education and health.
