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Failed Promise of National Unity
One of the foundational justifications for establishing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was the lofty goal of fostering national unity among Nigeria’s ethnically diverse populace. Given Nigeria’s turbulent history of ethnic divisions, the program intended to mitigate hostility, prejudice, and mutual suspicion by encouraging young graduates to experience diverse cultures through mandatory postings in different regions. Nearly five decades later, however, empirical evidence strongly contradicts the claim that the NYSC has successfully promoted national integration. Instead, the reality suggests the scheme has not only failed in this fundamental objective but in many instances, has exacerbated inter-ethnic tensions.
Historically, Nigeria has struggled profoundly with integrating its multiethnic composition, comprising over 250 distinct ethnic groups, into a cohesive national identity (Adeoti & Olaniyan, 2014; Tangban, 2014). As Onwere (1992) points out, the NYSC was envisaged to be the central mechanism for bridging ethnic divides by enabling cross-cultural interactions among youths. In practice, however, these cross-cultural interactions have often been superficial or even counterproductive, failing to dismantle entrenched stereotypes or build enduring empathy across Nigeria’s ethnic mosaic.
In a comprehensive study, Olusola (2017) demonstrated that exposure alone did not significantly alter perceptions among corps members regarding other ethnic groups. Rather, entrenched biases and negative stereotypes remained largely unchanged post-service. Similarly, Eme-Uche & Okonkwo (2020) assert that compulsory integration policies like the NYSC often amplify latent ethnic grievances rather than alleviating them, as graduates experience frustration stemming from forced deployments, isolation, and frequent hostility in host communities.
The effectiveness of NYSC in promoting multiculturalism has also been questioned by recent scholarship. Nnamani et al. (2020) contend that rather than functioning as a genuine epicenter of multicultural integration, NYSC camps have evolved into fragmented environments where participants often cluster along ethnic or religious lines. This clustering reinforces pre-existing social boundaries and fosters insularity rather than integration, undermining the original vision of inter-ethnic harmony.
Furthermore, data from Saleeman (2016) emphasize the persistence of ethnic divisions even in information consumption among Nigerian youths. Corps members from major ethnic groups continue to prefer ethnic-centric news sources, reinforcing divisions rather than overcoming them. This persistent preference signifies that the underlying structures that perpetuate ethnic identification are robust enough to withstand even state-mandated attempts at forced unity.
Critical health and welfare concerns in NYSC camps have also negatively impacted the sense of national belonging. A study by Emorinken et al. (2022) revealed disturbing morbidity patterns among corps members, with frequent outbreaks of preventable diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, and respiratory infections resulting from deplorable living conditions. This neglect has resulted in widespread dissatisfaction and resentment, making corps members feel undervalued and estranged rather than integrated or patriotic.
The problem of selective exclusion from the scheme exacerbates the sense of inequity and division. Ahimie et al. (2024) highlight how the systematic exclusion of Open and Distance Learning graduates from NYSC participation undermines the scheme’s credibility, deepening resentment among this significant cohort of graduates. Such discrimination fuels perceptions of inequality and marginalization, undermining rather than promoting national integration.
Compounding these failures, Oriakhogba & Fenemigho (2018) have critically assessed the NYSC Act, noting that legal provisions originally intended to foster integration have become largely symbolic. The Act itself, lacking comprehensive reform, remains inadequately adapted to Nigeria’s contemporary socio-economic and cultural realities. Such legal stagnation undermines genuine efforts toward national cohesion, suggesting the scheme has become more ceremonial than substantive.
Read also: Beyond NYSC: Why Nigeria Must End Youth Service—Part 1
Adefabi et al. (2023) argue that education is key to national integration, suggesting that initiatives like NYSC are less effective without educational reforms. Their research highlights how political science and civic education curricula have greater impacts on youth attitudes, advocating for educational policies over compulsory national service to foster national consciousness.
Moreover, Umejiaku & Otache (2023) similarly affirm that only quality education rooted in multicultural competencies, equity, and social justice can sustainably foster genuine national unity. Their empirical analyses suggest that compulsory service placements have minimal lasting impact unless preceded by substantive educational frameworks designed explicitly to address systemic ethnic prejudices.
Obadare’s (2010) critical analysis remains profoundly instructive, arguing that the NYSC operates within a broader context of statism that inherently limits its potential to facilitate genuine civic integration. Instead, the scheme has inadvertently reinforced hierarchical power dynamics, breeding compliance without commitment, producing citizens who view state mandates with suspicion or cynicism rather than patriotic enthusiasm.
Empirical evaluations conducted by Deebom & Daerego (2020) further reveal that the NYSC’s touted entrepreneurship and empowerment programs are weakly structured, failing to deliver meaningful outcomes that might otherwise promote inter-ethnic collaborations and sustainable national unity. Their research, focused specifically on Rivers State, showed that participants gained few actionable skills, reducing the potential for NYSC to foster collaborative economic ties across diverse ethnicities.
Given these substantial failures, continuing to present NYSC as Nigeria’s primary mechanism for national integration appears untenable. The scheme, far from unifying Nigeria’s youths, frequently reinforces ethnic insularity, perpetuates inequality, and undermines genuine national cohesion. Empirical evidence repeatedly illustrates that forced integration initiatives yield limited, superficial impacts—often exacerbating existing divisions. Thus, Nigeria must urgently reconsider, reform, or ultimately eradicate NYSC, replacing it with sustainable strategies grounded in quality education, equity, and inclusive national development policies, more reflective of contemporary realities.
References
Adeoti, E. & Olaniyan, S., 2014. Ethnicity and national integration in Nigeria: A historical overview. International Journal in Management and Social Science, 2, pp.104–120.
Adefabi, I.A., Alamu, A.O. & Uthman, M.O., 2023. Fostering national integration in Nigeria: Exploring the role of political science education. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 7(9). https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2023.70954
Ahimie, B., Kareem, A.A. & Okojide, A.C., 2024. Nigerian Open and Distance Learning Students and the Mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme. Shodh Sari – An International Multidisciplinary Journal. https://doi.org/10.59231/sari7662
Deebom, M.T.B. & Daerego, I.T., 2020. The influence of National Youth Service Corps entrepreneurship skill acquisition programmes on youth empowerment in Rivers State. International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education. https://doi.org/10.20431/2349-0381.0706016
Eme-Uche, U. & Okonkwo, C., 2020. Nigeria and the challenges of national unity. IJAEDU International E-Journal of Advances in Education, 6(15), pp.96–105. https://doi.org/10.18768/ijaedu.616007
Emorinken, A., Aikhuomogbe, O., Eigbe, B., Usman, S. & Isuekebhor, C., 2022. Morbidity pattern at the National Youth Service Corp camps in Nigeria. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 9(7), pp.2944–2949. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20223196
Nnamani, D., Ugwuibe, C., Onyemaechi, C. & Chukwurah, D., 2020. National Youths Service Corps and multiculturalism: The epicenter for national integration in Nigeria. Journal of Multicultural Integration Studies.
Obadare, E., 2010. Statism, youth and civic imagination: A critical study of the National Youth Service Corps programme in Nigeria. Africa Development, 35(4), pp.1–20.
Olusola, A.I., 2017. Behavioural intention and perception of ethnic groups among National Youth Service Corps members in Nigeria. IFE PsychologIA, 25(1), pp.1–18. https://doi.org/10.4314/IFEP.V25I1
Onwere, C., 1992. National Youth Service Corps programme and national integration in Nigeria. University of Nigeria Thesis Archive.
Oriakhogba, D.O. & Fenemigho, A.I., 2018. Review of the National Youth Service Corps Act: An agenda for reform. Nigerian Bar Journal, 1, pp.1–18.
Osadere, A.D., 2016. Repositioning youth for post-democratic national development of Nigeria: A critical investigation of the National Youth Service Corps deployment policy. UJ-JSMS, 11, pp.96–107. https://doi.org/10.5987/UJ-JSMS.16.029.1
Saleeman, I.G., 2016. News consumption of major ethnic groups among youth in Nigeria: A comparative study of uses and gratifications theory. Journal of Ethnic Media Studies.
Tangban, O.E., 2014. History and the quest for unity in Nigeria. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 4(4), pp.378–381. https://doi.org/10.7763/IJSSH.2014.V4.382
Umejiaku, C. & Otache, O.U., 2023. Fostering national integration in Nigeria through quality education. International Journal of Social Science and Education Research Studies, 3(5). https://doi.org/10.55677/ijssers/v03i5y2023-02
