The Director of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, delivered a candid message to members of the 2025 NYSC Batch A Stream 2 during an address at the Magaji Dan-Yamusa Permanent Orientation Camp in Keffi, Nasarawa State today.
In a speech that stirred conversations among the corps members, Brig. Gen. Nafiu remarked, “If it was ₦33,000 we are paying you, you would have served and survived.” He noted a disparity in background and expectations among the youth, pointing out that while some corps members come from wealthy families with generous monthly allowances, others receive little to no financial support.
“Majority of you are coming from big homes with big monies as monthly pocket money, while others do not even get any,” he added, highlighting the financial imbalance within the corps community and urging members to embrace the spirit of unity, sacrifice, and resilience that the service year demands.
The NYSC Director’s comments came as part of a broader message encouraging discipline, humility, and national service regardless of personal socioeconomic background. The speech aimed to remind corps members of the founding principles of the NYSC scheme, which include fostering national integration and a shared sense of duty.
Reactions among corps members were mixed, with some viewing the comments as a call to humility, while others saw it as a reflection of the growing dissatisfaction over the current state of the allowance (popularly known as “allawee”) and economic hardship in the country.
As orientation activities continue, NYSC leadership has reiterated its commitment to improving welfare conditions and reinforcing the core values of the scheme.
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