Participation Of Corps Members In Electoral Matters

PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH CORPS MEMBERS IN ELECTORAL MATTERS

       

No doubt, one of the paramount desires/dreams of a group of people in any locality is to be referred to as a literate society. In other words, any right thinking government strives relentlessly to ensure that its citizenry is made up of high number of literate people.

Corps members, in a concise term, could be defined as a group of Nigerian youths that are being mobilized to serve the said country in their respective capacities having successfully completed their degree or diploma programmes in various higher citadel of learning across the globe.

In Nigeria, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is recognized by the government as a compulsory scheme for any Nigerian graduate whose age falls within the required age bracket for the national calling, irrespective of the country in which the university or Polytechnic he/she attended is situated provided it is a recognized institution. The scheme was established by law in the year 1973, on 22^nd May precisely, after the Nigerian civil war, under the regime of General Yakubu Gowon with the sole aim of strengthening and restructuring the Nigerian state as well as creating a greater Solidarity among the members of the aforementioned state. 

For over the years, many pressing issues have been raised regarding the real essence of mobilizing fresh Nigerian graduates under the aegis of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Some of the outpouring questions as regards the people’s guest are not unconnected to ascertaining the actual socio-economic importance of the scheme in question.

If the truth must be told, you would agree with me that the NYSC scheme (programme) has indeed contributed tremendously towards our collective motive of actualizing a better Nigeria. Due to time frame coupled with space factor, the interest of this piece lies mainly on ‘the role of corps members in leadership development and aspiration for a better Nigeria.’

Corps members whom are generally regarded as a “Literate Society” is a group that comprised of Nigerian youths from different field of endeavours that have been contributing significantly towards ensuring that the Nigeria’s leadership system is duly rebranded. It is no longer news that it is mostly the youth that are deeply bothered over the ongoing complicated leadership nature in Nigeria; this is so simply because they remain the set of people that are severely affected by the anomaly. If this assertion holds water, then it is needless to reiterate the fact that the corps members whom are a concentration of literate youths have been working assiduously in view of ending the lingering socio-political lapses in the acclaimed ‘Giant of Africa’. Let's ride on!

The most distinct feature of the NYSC scheme, which has to do with deploying the fresh graduates or the incoming corps members to different states or better still different geopolitical zones considering their respective places of origin, remains the major recipe that has enabled them to genuinely contribute their quota in the Nigeria’s political platform. For instance, a corps member who hails from Kaduna State and is being deployed to serve in Enugu State stands to be neutral if being posted to function as an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official in any locality in the state, because he/she would hardly know any of the aspirants or contestants, thereby creating an avenue for transparent voting system at the polls. This usually becomes the case as a result of the fact that the corps member would have no personal interest regarding the election(s).

Considering the fact that corps members are a set of fully learned individuals coupled with the fact that they consist of persons who possess the extreme urge to reform the country’s socio-political and economic system, it is of no need saying that they are one of the basic keys required by Nigeria to ensure that her leadership structure is thoroughly enhanced. This is why in recent times, they have been granted the opportunity to participate in electoral practices.

Among all, since corps members are often treated as government personnel by the general public, they are usually faced with the required opportunity to pursue their worthwhile dreams vigorously and wholeheartedly. Of course treating a ‘Corper’ or a corps member as a special personnel gives him/her the morale to assess any office regardless of the attribute of the office especially when he/she is clad in the NYSC uniform. This is the reason the corps members have over the decades been able to air their views freely without any biased mindset, most especially in electoral matters in which they are allowed to participate. And, this phenomenon has succeeded in enabling the people in question to contribute actively and wisely in the geared effort towards rebranding the nation’s leadership pattern in its entirety.

Surely, the ongoing participation of the Youth Corps Members in electoral matters, which is tagged by all and sundry as a worthwhile initiative, would go a long way to reawaken the consciousness of the youths in leadership aspiration as well as create an avenue for transparency and zero-corruption at the various polls. Think about it!

         

         COMR FDN NWAOZOR

Public Affairs Analyst & Rights Activist
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            frednwaozor@gmail.com
            +2348028608056         
Follow: @fdnwaozor                                                     

X-Mas Commemoration: The Best Of Its Kind!

CHRISTMAS COMMEMORATION: THE BEST OF ITS KIND

Brethren, many of us have taken to wearing visors and other similar devices to protect our eyes and visages from the possible effects of harmattan. Taking Nigeria as a case study, many would testify that the ongoing climatic phase causes virulent feelings, and may as well lead to various virulent diseases. While some would definitely testify that it is a welcome scene, therefore ought to continue for eternity. Honestly, these and more similar phenomena observe amongst mankind is not man-made but wholly natural.

Let’s put it this way; if brandy is good in bringing the real man/woman in you as a person at any given time. And, that fellow that appears to be intimate to you believes in the work of whisky in respect to similar purpose. Then conclusively, it signifies that you both are of different nature, or possess distinct idiosyncrasies. Thus significantly, no matter the level of intimacy in any relationship/affair, be it symbiotic or parasitic, the exact nature of the two or more parties involved can never be compromised or interchanged.

In geography, we were taught that about seventy percent (70%) of the earth crust is covered with water, while about thirty percent (30%) is covered with land. Brethren, there’s a big problem or error attached to this geographic estimation coupled with approximation. The astronomers who carried out the research and rounded off with such conclusion were so myopic to understand the fact that, even the part of the earth crust covered with water is as well covered with land. It’s not a paradox. It’s a fact, and it is natural. Of course the bed-rock of any sea, ocean, river, pond, lake et cetera, is land. In agriculture, we call it the soil. Suffice to say; every part of the earth crust is covered with the soil (land). 

 

But the above critique is not my optimum interest in this edition. My interest is this: despite the level of intimacy between the land and the natural water, they still don’t mix together. This simply signifies that each of the compounds or substances in question is made up of a certain distinct nature. This is a fact. Yes, a fancy fact. Let’s ride on!

Each of the paragraphs above has proven to us that nature is indeed very powerful. Nature could be regarded as all the animals, plants and other things in the world that are not made by man; and all the events, features and processes that are not caused by mankind. In a nut shell, nature is anything that is not man-made. In other words, it’s older than the world. Yes, nature has been in existence before the world was created. This is why, most times anything caused by nature seem to be mysterious. That is, beyond man’s imagination, creativity or creative ingenuity. Therefore, nature controls; it rules. Inter alia, it finalizes.

We’re discussing Christmas (X-mas). We’re discussing its annual commemoration. First and foremost, what is X-mas celebration or commemoration? X-mas celebration is a religious festival or ritual being observed on every 25^th December by the Christendom to mark the birth of Christ.

 

Next question; who is Christ? Christ is one of the names of Jesus whom Christians believe to be the only begotten son of God and whose teachings are the basis of Christianity. According to the Christian writ, Christ was sent by God to sanctify the sinful world and He obliged. He came, saw, taught, healed and delivered the world. Most importantly, He died for our sins to be forgiven. What a tremendous generosity!

As a devoted Christian, Catholic to be precise, I understand that Christ was not really born on the 25^th of December; but such date was selected by the ancient Christendom in order to mark the day such generous being came into the world since the actual date of His birth was not painstakingly recorded by the scribes or historians of His time. They considered it consequential for such date to be monumental or be remembered by mankind because the day in question marked the beginning of man’s sanctification, deliverance as well as total emancipation, which remains the most vital Christian tool in existence.

Truly Christ came or was born, saw and conquered. Above all, He accomplished His mission because mankind was freed from bondage by His willingful death. After the death of Christ, He resurrected. Before His death, He resurrected many souls. And this remains the most mysterious act performed by Him.

Thus, resurrection is nature. If truly we believe that such vital tool is nature, in other words, Christ is nature. He’s beyond man’s imagination. Starting from His birth down to His death, everything about Him was mysterious.

Beloved, if amongst us we have some group of persons we owe an allegiance to, then what stops us from observing more greater respect to a being whose existence while on earth was totally mysterious or above man’s comprehension?

In other words, there is tremendous reason for X-mas commemoration to be continually observed because it remains the most important Christian virtue practised here on earth. Such date which was set aside to mark the day Christ was born should not in any way be compromised because it is the birthday of our Messiah; therefore, remains a worthwhile Christian virtue, which I’ve tagged “The best of its kind”. Think about it!

 

FDN NWAOZOR

Public Affairs Analyst & Rights Activist
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frednwaozor@gmail.com  
+2348028608056       
Follow: @fred_nwaozor

 

 

Be The Change You Anticipate

BE THE CHANGE YOU ANTICIPATE

Brethren, please don’t fear change because your life does not get better by chance; rather it gets better by change. Though you might lose something good in the process, but don’t forget that you may also gain something great. In other words, ‘change’ brings either gain or loss. And it is obvious that we always anticipate gain whenever the issue of change is being raised.

Mind you; you can never boast of gain if you don’t thrive towards it. Thus, look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder. It is only by thriving towards something positive that you would have the chances of embracing ‘gain’.

So if we await a certain kind of change, we are expected to thrive in accordance to the anticipation. For instance; you can’t dream of becoming the President of your country while in each day, you sit and watch the country in question revolves round you. On the contrary, one with such dream is expected to revolve round the country rather than the reverse. You must familiarize with every nook and cranny of the country before you would be able to lead the people in it.

We must endeavour to be the change we anticipate. If you want your immediate family to be the eye of others, then you must act rightly. Of course, you must do the right thing if you want other families to emulate yours. If you are the overall head of the family, then you must act like the leader of the home. Remember that a leader is bound to carry everyone along; therefore, his actions must be fair and just to all concerned regardless of the circumstance. Then by so doing, people from other homes would like to emulate yours.

It beats my psyche each time I see some persons who pray for or anticipate a corrupt-free leadership from their country’s President, whilst in their respective offices or various fields of endeavour, they are the most corrupt officials/staff. The Igbo people would say: ‘Ji Ire gi guo eze gi onu’. This means; count your teeth with your tongue. Yes you must endeavour to painstakingly count your dental arrangement with your noble tongue if you actually want to ascertain the exact number.

Beloved, you can’t continue sitting on the fence if you are really looking forward seeing a certain positive change in any society you belong. If everyone decides to follow suit regarding your attitude, how do you think it would look like? I mean, if every other members of that society decide to join you and sit on the fence, then who would facilitate the change which you earnestly anticipate? You must acknowledge the fact that all hands is expected to be on deck for anything to work. Let’s ride on!

The arithmetic or the procedure is very simple, and it goes like this: if you want something good, then you must be good; if you wish to obtain something great, definitely you must act greatly; if you dream to become a leader, you are expected to comport yourself as a leader because considering the nature of your dream, you are no doubt a potential leader; of course lastly, if you anticipate a complete society as regards the society you belong, then you must try as much as possible to be a complete man or woman in all ramifications, because it’s only a complete being that can create a complete environment. There is no two ways about any of the above facts.

Our paramount plight is remains that, most time we prefer to watch others fight or act on our behalf while we go to bed. Even if you don’t wish to act or be among the acting team, you should be prepared to be among the clapping team. The rule is simple. Invariably courtesy demands that, if one is not in the bidding team, he/she ought to be in the clapping team, because it is only when you cheer others up that they would be more motivated and determined to act in the right direction.

Another predicament we often face is that, we are usually afraid of encountering a negative change. Some of us would prefer to remain silent and dormant instead of embracing failure. Believe me, fear has killed or maimed several of our dreams than failure has ever done. Frankly, fear of the unknown is a canker we all must endeavour to fight squarely before our problem would degenerate into something deadly.

Surely, it is better to act and obtain failure than to be dormant thereby remaining whom you are. Unequivocally, failure is indeed a recipe required to obtain the desired success. If you don’t fail, you will never know the exact route that leads to the success room. This is why sometime those who succeed freely often end-up messing up their golden opportunity. Thus, failure is worthwhile just as success is. Both are needed by mankind while attaining greatness.

At this juncture I repeat; be the change you anticipate. Act positively each day even if some days you have to act a little harder. In a nutshell, if you truly want Nigeria to be better come 2015, then you must also thrive towards becoming a better person. Think about it!

 

FDN NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com   

Follow: @fdnnwaozor