The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has charged corps members to shun any act capable of dividing Nigeria but foster peace and unity wherever they find themselves.
The Ondo State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Victoria Ani, said this while addressing corps members during a Unity Walk to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the scheme at the permanent orientation camp, Ikare Akoko, on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Unity Walk was a colourful celebration of culture and ethnicity as corps members dressed in different ethnic attires to mark the day.
Other highlights were passing of the Unity Touch from the state Coordinator through all leaders of the platoons at the carnival.
Ani urged corps members not to allow anybody to sow seed of discord among them saying, “NYSC is for National Unity.”
“Dear corps members, this carnival signifies the exchange of our cultural differences and as we celebrate the carnival, I want you to know that NYSC puts the nation first.
“We should shun some acts that divide us, we should rather rejoice as one, be the Nigerians that we are supposed to be.
“We must shine our eyes. We should not allow anybody to divide us.
“NYSC is for national integration, it is for unity, it is for a way of guiding our youths to do it right and make Nigeria the nation that we want it to be,” she said.
Some corps members hailed the scheme and its ability to build cohession among various groups.
Miss Helen Okafor, while speaking with newsmen, said that the scrapping of the scheme might negatively affect the unity which the country was yearning for.
Also, Mr Ibitayo Akinkuolie, stressed the need for his colleagues to preach peaceful coexistence and ensure they used NYSC as a tool for further development of communities where they were serving. (NAN)
