OPINION
NYSC: Handshake in a Time of COVID-19
It is said that our native tongues are so strong and are endowed with the eternal gifts of proverbs (which Professor Chinua Achebe described as the palm oil with which words are eaten) that are tested, trusted, credible and pragmatic.
For the purpose of the opening of this reflection, the one good proverb that comes to mind is that which goes thus: “mberede nyiri dike, ma na mberede ka eji ama dike”, meaning that emergency sometimes defies the strength of a strong hearted person but it is exactly during emergency that strong persons are identified”.
Perhaps, the framers of this typically metaphysical aphorism of the Igbo native tongue, had the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) of 2020/2021 in mind when that statement was couched.
This is because the management and staff of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) are doing wonderful things that defy the expectations of these times whereby the most troubling health emergency of the last one hundred emerged- Coronavirus Pandemic.
The emergence of COVID-19 changed the trajectories of the workings of the National Youth Service Corp and dramatically posed a huge logistical nightmares to a nation that has tried to navigate her ways around the consequences and effects of the highly infectious disease of Covid-19 which has not yet being conquered by scientists even though there is light at the end of the tunnel. Scientific feats of the evolution and development of vaccines for Covid-19 have occured.
The monumental managerial challenges that were thrown up by the Coronavirus Pandemic led to dynamisms and new ways of doing things particularly since the scheme involves the coming together of hundreds and thousands of participants who would inevitably be camped for few days before they are effectively redeployed to their places of primary assignments.
Also, a major issue was how to camp this huge number of young people and ensure the observation of the protocols to beat down the spread of Covid-19 and keep the youngsters safe, sound and healthy enough to withstand the rigours that their twelve Calendar months national service demands.
This therefore called for a highly sophisticated but pragmatic managerial modus operandi with a view to complying with the best global practices. The management and staff of NYSC have so far exhibited excellence in the management and deployment of these strategies.
The salient phenomenon that has happened in this period of Covid-19 is that for the first time in over a decade, Nigeria produced one of the highest number of participants of the NYSC that won the Iconic Presidential handshakes and bagged automatic employment. This is a testament to the successes of the strategies and measures that the management and staff of NYSC have deployed in checking the spread of Covid-19.
President Muhammadu Buhari offered automatic employment to 110 former corps members in the federal civil service and scholarship for the pursuit of post-graduate studies up to the doctoral level in any university in Nigeria.
Buhari, who spoke, few days ago at the virtual 2018/2019 President’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) honours award ceremony held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja also announced cash rewards for the former corps members.
He directed the relevant government agencies to ensure timely implementation of all the incentives for the award recipients, urging the honourees to sustain the patriotic zeal that earned them the award.
“It is noteworthy that the young men and women being honoured to have excelled in the four cardinal programmes of the scheme, namely: orientation course, primary assignment, community development service and winding-up/passing-out, which formed the basis of assessment for the honours award.
“On behalf of the government and the good people of Nigeria, I heartily congratulate those honoured on standing out from their peers in order to merit the honour being bestowed upon them.
“You have proved yourselves worthy ambassadors of your respective families and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). I am very proud of you and confident that the award shall spur you to greater service to the nation and humanity,” he said.
If you are reading this piece and you are wondering how on earth these significant milestones were actualized in Nigeria, then these are some of the steps that the management and staff of NYSC led by Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim (ph.D) implemented.
What he and his forward looking team have achieved were really not done with so much media showmanship but they were so professionally delivered in a way that mangers of human resources may have to understudy the underlying methodologies.
The management headed by the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, directed all state and FCT coordinators to ensure strict compliance with COVID-19 prevention and safety protocols at all camps and other formations of the scheme nationwide.
He gave the directive while interacting with the management of the scheme and officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) during a virtual meeting held as part of preparations for the conduct of Batch “B” Stream II orientation course scheduled to commence on January 19, 2021.
General Ibrahim, who thanked the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and NCDC for considering re-opening of the orientation camps, noted that corps members are critical change agents in national development agenda, whose potentials will continue to be effectively harnessed in the health, education and other vital sectors of the economy.
“Necessary facilities that will enhance compliance with COVID-19 prevention and safety protocols have been provided in the camps while prospective corps members and camp officials will all be subjected to coronavirus test as a precondition for entry into the orientation camps,” the DG said.
According to him, corps vanguards and enforcement teams have been constituted for all the camps, as part of measures to ensure strict compliance, as well as support the national response efforts to stem the tide of the new wave of the pandemic.
Members of the NCDC team, led by Dr. Oyeladun Okunromade, in their various presentations during the meeting, described the NYSC’s response to the pandemic as a functional model currently being considered for replication in other sectors to enhance community testing, thus, safeguarding the health of the nation.
Okunro made expressed satisfaction with the facilities put in place to enhance compliance with the prevention and safety protocols during the previous orientation programmes, and called for increased vigilance and cooperation to consolidate the success already recorded for subsequent orientation exercises.
The DG led from the front by visiting these states to ensure compliance to the best global practices.
The supervisory minister too is a young man who believes in leading by example and who gave out clear directives on what to do in the event that any of the state branch of NYSC deviated from established safety measures.
The minister informed the management and staff of NYSC that the central government will shut down any National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) orientation camp that violates the Covid-19 protocols.
Sunday Dare, minister of youth and sports, disclosed this at the media briefing of the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19, held in Abuja on Monday.
He said the lives and health of the corps members are a priority to the government, adding that the affected persons will be reposted to nearby states to continue the orientation exercise.
The minister, therefore, called for strict adherence to the protocol, and urged NYSC officials to cooperate with approved authorities on curtailing the spread of COVID-19 at orientation camps.
“Going forward, any state that refuses to cooperate fully — 100 percent — in the aspect of COVID-19 protocol adherence, full testing using the RDTs, and also data management by the approved staff of the NCDC, the health ministry, and also the trained doctors, that state will have its orientation camp shut down and the corpers would be sent to adjoining states,” the minister said.
A section of the media reported that 731 of the 34,418 corps members for batch B tested positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as of January 25, the country has confirmed 122,996 coronavirus infections, out of which 98,359 recoveries and 1,507 deaths have been recorded. Also, an army officer with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has died of COVID-19 while on duty in Kano state.
In a press statement, Adenike Adeyemi, the director in charge of press and public relations, NYSC explained the officer was tested for COVID-19 as a precondition for admittance to the orientation camp, but test result turn out positive.
She said the officer was subsequently moved to the Kano State Isolation Centre for proper care, but died in the process
“The Management of the NYSC regrets to announce the sad loss of our committed and dedicated staff while on official assignment in Kano State, for the 2020 Batch “B” Stream 2 Orientation Exercise,” Adeyemi said.
The day he died was not disclosed neither was his name disclosed.
“The officer was tested for COVI-19, as a precondition for admittance to the Orientation camp, just like all other camp officials and prospective Corps Members in the 37 NYSC Orientation camps nationwide, as prescribed by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).”
According to her, the officer was moved to the Kano State Isolation Centre for proper care after he tested positive, “but unfortunately, he succumbed to the virus.”
“The entire NYSC condoles with the family on the loss of this highly valuable staff and prays that God grants the soul eternal rest,” Adeyemi stated.
What you see here is a group of managers that understand the pivotal place of freedom of information and are indeed willing to brief the members of the public on time to beat the notorious purveyors of fake news whose merchandise thrives on the hoarding of information. I think in concluding this reflection, it will be fitting to give a citation from a management book that clearly defines the people oriented Director General that heads the National Youth Service Corp. The quotation states: “It is very unlikely that you will be able to present your project in such a way that it will be accepted if you haven’t considered your proposal through the eyes of each of the people involved. The same process is true for anything you want to accomplish at work, whether it entails taking on a new responsibility or suggesting a new way of doing things. If you don’t cultivate your relationships with the people involved and learn about their interests, motivations, values, goals, and personalities, it’s unlikely that whatever you want to accomplish will have the full “buy-in” that you need. You should have a sense of the following for each person involved in whatever you hope to accomplish: “What type of work makes the person enthusiastic and excited; What rewards motivate him or her; what general work style the person brings to the table and; What is most important on this person’s personal work agenda for the next six months” (The 12 Bad Habits That Hold Good People Back by James Waldroop, Ph.D.., and Timothy Butler Ph. D). ”
By Folasade Akpan
For Mrs Schola Effiong, a 58-year-old confidential secretary in Calabar, managing diabetes in today’s economy feels like “climbing a hill that only gets steeper”.
Diagnosed in 2009, she said her monthly expenditure on insulin, tablets, laboratory tests and monitoring supplies now exceeds ₦150,000.
“You cannot stop taking the drugs, yet the cost keeps going up.
“Sometimes I do not have the money to buy some of them at the same time,” she said.
Her struggle mirrors the experiences of thousands of Nigerians at a time when experts warn that diabetes is becoming a major public health concern.
According to a 2018 national meta-analysis by Uloko et al.
, titled “Prevalence and Risk Factors for Diabetes Mellitus in Nigeria: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, Nigeria’s diabetes prevalence stands at 5.7 per cent, representing 11.2 million adults.The authors defined diabetes mellitus as a metabolic disorder of chronic hyperglycaemia caused by absolute or relative insulin deficiency and associated with disturbances in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism.
The study, which pooled data from numerous research works across the country, revealed wide regional disparities.
The prevalence rate was 3.0 per cent in the North-West, 5.9 per cent in the North-East, and 3.8 per cent in the North-Central, respectively.
The rates were higher in the southern part of the country: 5.5 per cent in the South-West, 4.6 per cent in the South-East, and 9.8 per cent in the South-South.
Experts say these patterns reflect changing lifestyles, rapid urbanisation and limited access to routine screening.
However, for many patients, statistics tell only a fraction of the real story.
Mr Offum Akung, a 57-year-old teacher in Cross River, said he had to ration his drugs because prices kept rising faster than his salary.
“I spend over ₦40,000 a month and still cannot buy everything on my prescription.
“I rely mostly on Glucophage now; when money allows, I add Neurovite Forte; diabetes management has become more difficult than the disease itself,” he said.
He appealed for government intervention, saying many patients were already “giving up”.
The Second Vice-President of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria, Mr Bernard Enyia, said the economic situation had pushed many Nigerians with diabetes into dangerous coping methods.
He said that he once managed his condition with about ₦70,000 monthly, but currently spends more than ₦180,000.
“Insulin has become something you pray for, while some people are sharing doses or skipping injections.
“Once you break treatment, the complications come quickly.”
Enyia, who lost his job as a health worker in 2017 due to frequent hospital visits, described the emotional toll as immense.
“It affects your finances, your social life, your marriage — everything. Many Nigerians with diabetes are quietly drowning,” he said.
Globally, concerns are also rising.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that more than 24 million adults in Africa are living with diabetes, a figure projected to rise to 60 million by 2050.
Marking World Diabetes Day 2025, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohamed Janabi, warned that rising obesity, lifestyle changes and weak health systems were fueling an “unprecedented wave of diabetes” across the continent.
He urged governments to prioritise access to affordable insulin, diagnostics and long-term care.
More so, pharmacists say they are witnessing the crisis firsthand.
The Senior Vice-President, Advantage Health Africa, Mr Adewale Oladigbolu, said many patients were no longer able to maintain regular medication schedules.
“People buy drugs today and skip them tomorrow because they do not have money.
“With non-adherence, they never reach therapeutic goals.”
Oladigbolu, a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, said that locally manufactured metformin remained in high demand due to affordability, but insulin-dependent patients faced the harshest burden.
He stressed that diabetes care extended far beyond drugs.
“You need glucometers, strips, blood pressure monitors and regular tests.
“In countries where insurance work, patients do not think about the cost; in Nigeria, they pay for everything out of pocket,” he said.
He called for diabetes care to be covered under health insurance to reduce the financial burden on patients.
President of the Diabetes Association of Nigeria, Prof. Ejiofor Ugwu, described the rising cost of treatment as “a national crisis hiding in plain sight.
He said insulin, which sold for about ₦3,500 four years ago, presently costs ₦18,000 to ₦22,000 per vial.
“Test strips that were ₦2,000 now sell for ₦14,000, while glucometers have risen from ₦5,000 to over ₦25,000.
“On average, a patient now needs between ₦100,000 and ₦120,000 every month. Imagine earning ₦50,000 and being asked to spend twice that on one illness.”
He warned that between half and two-thirds of Nigerians with diabetes remain undiagnosed.
“We are seeing more kidney failure, more limb amputations, more blindness.
“These are late presentations caused by delayed or inconsistent treatment.”
Ugwu urged the Federal Government to urgently subsidise essential anti-diabetic medications and remove taxes on their importation.
“Most of these drugs are produced outside the country.
“Once you add import duties and other charges, prices become unbearable; subsidies and tax waivers could drop costs by at least 30 per cent,” he said.
He also called for expansion of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to cover a wider range of anti-diabetic medicines, glucose meters and strips — none of which are currently covered.
For many Nigerians, however, the struggle continues daily.
Across households, clinics and pharmacies, the message is the same: as Nigeria’s diabetes prevalence rises and treatment costs soar, more patients are slipping through the cracks — some silently, others painfully — while waiting for meaningful intervention.
In all, stakeholders say diabetes is a national emergency; people are dying quietly because they cannot afford medicine; hence the urgent need for relevant authorities to make anti-diabetic medications accessible and affordable.(NAN)
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By Dorcas Jonah
In the Nigerian culture, extended families and communities play a crucial role in care-giving, instilling values, and supporting the development of children.
This cultural heritage of community parenting emphasises shared responsibility in raising children.
But in contemporary Nigeria, this age-long practice is facing enormous challenges due to modernisation.
In scrutinising this trend, some parents are of the view that community parenting helps in instilling morals and curbing social vices among children and youths, while others believe it is outdated.
Some parents are of the belief that their children are their responsibility; so they do not tolerate others correcting their children.
By contrast, others say that community parenting, when done with good intentions, can help raise a better society.
Mr Peterson Bangyi, a community leader in Dutse Makaranta, said that community parenting was the bedrock of raising a child.
He said the adage: “it takes a village to raise a child”, remained a powerful principle in contemporary society.
According to him, by Nigeria’s cultural norms and values, a child is owned by everyone; therefore, the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbours actively contribute to raising children.
“This approach fosters a sense of belonging and ensures children grow up with diverse role models.”
Bangyi said that the extended families practiced by more communities were the backbone of parenting.
“But modernisation has taken away this practice as most families do not want people to come close to their children,’’ he said.
Mrs Monica Umeh, a mother of two, emphasising on the importance of community parenting, said that it played significant role in shaping her upbringing as a child and young adult.
Umeh advised that when correcting other people’s children, it is essential to do so with love and good intentions, without any form of bitterness.
“I am a strong advocate of community parenting as long as it is done with love and good intentions.
“I believe no parent can single-handedly raise a child without the support of others,’’ he said.
Mr Temitope Awoyemi, a lecturer, said that community parenting was crucial and could not be over-emphasised.
He said that community parenting helped society in inculcating strong moral values in children and youths, adding that modern life could be isolating for parents.
Awoyemi said that strong community support networks had been shown to lower parental stress levels and promote a more optimistic approach to raising children.
“It also ensures that a child receives guidance and correction from various adults, providing a broader, more consistent moral and social baseline that might be missed by parents who are busy with work.
“Community parenting encourages collaborative, interdisciplinary support from various community members and agencies in addressing a child’s developmental needs comprehensively.
“It focuses on prevention of long-term problems and celebrating individual strengths,’’ he said.
Awoyemi said that as the society continued to evolve, community parenting could adapt to ensure children benefitted from both cultural roots and contemporary innovations.
Mr Fortune Ubong, a cultural enthusiast, attributed the increasing crime rate in Nigeria to lack of community parenting that had extended to schools, and government institutions.
According to him, community parenting remains the foundation of every child’s moral upbringing.
“Most parents are now focused on earning a living and improving their lifestyle, in the process abandoning their primary duty of molding and guiding their children; this is where community parenting plays a greater role,” he said.
However, Mrs Joy Okezia, a businesswoman, said that given the recent developments in the country, correcting a child should be the sole responsibility of their parents.
Okezia said that she preferred to correct her children herself as she knew them better than anyone else.
She also noted that with the rising insecurity in the country, intervening to correct a child could pose a significant risk to the person.
Mrs Ijeoma Osita, a civil servant, also shared Okezia’s view, saying that a child’s behaviour was shaped by their family upbringing.
She said that if a child was not taught to love and respect others at home, an outsider would have little impact in correcting such a child.
Osita emphasised that parents should in still in their children the values of love and respect regardless of their status or background.
According to her, a child brought up with good values is less likely to misbehave well.
She cited the Holy Bible, saying, that says: “Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it’’.
Osita said that community parenting remained a vital aspect of Nigerian culture, promoting shared responsibility and resilience among families.
He opined that while modernisation posed challenges, blending traditional practices with modern strategies offered a promising path forward.
Observers say robust community connections are linked to better social-emotional development, academic achievement, and overall well-being for children.
They say that in modern society, amidst the digital world, economic instability, and busy work schedules, parents face pressures, making community support systems fundamental.
All in all, stakeholders are of the view that combining traditional community parenting with modern childcare – integrating technology, play-based learning, and skill acquisition – will produce well-rounded children.(NAN)
FEATURES
Victor Okoli: The Young Nigerian Tech Founder Building Digital Bridge Between Africa and America
Victor Chukwunonso Okoli, founder of Vnox Technology Inc. (USA) and Vnox Limited (Nigeria), is steadily emerging as one of the most promising new voices in global travel-tech. His mission is clear: bridge the technological gap between Africa and the United States, redefine global travel systems, and empower a new generation of skilled youths through innovation-driven opportunities.
In a statement issued in Onitsha, Anambra State, by Vnox Limited (Nigeria), the company emphasized Okoli’s growing influence as a Nigerian international graduate student contributing meaningfully to U.
S. innovation. His rising travel-technology platform, FlyVnox, currently valued at an estimated $1.7 million, is positioning itself as a competitive player in the global travel ecosystem.Okoli explained that Vnox Technology was founded to “train, empower more youths, create global employment opportunities, and drive business growth through our coming B2B portal inside the FlyVnox app.” The platform’s new B2B system aims to support travel agencies, entrepreneurs, and businesses across Africa and the diaspora—giving them access to modern tools, previously inaccessible technologies, and global opportunities.
Several young men and women are already employed under the expanding Vnox group, with more expected to join as the brand grows internationally.
Born and raised in Eastern Nigeria, Okoli’s early life exposed him to the realities and frustrations faced by international travelers and diaspora communities. After moving to the United States for graduate studies, he transformed those experiences into a bold technological vision—building systems that connect continents and create seamless mobility for users worldwide.
At the center of that vision is the FlyVnox app, a modern airline-ticketing platform built with global users in mind. Combining American engineering precision with African mobility realities, FlyVnox offers international flight search, multi-currency support, secure payments, transparent pricing, and a clean, intuitive interface.
Beyond FlyVnox, Okoli has built a growing tech ecosystem under Vnox Technology Inc., which oversees several innovative ventures, including: Vnox TravelTech Solutions LLC (FlyVnox App), VnoxPay (fintech), VnoxShop / Zyrlia (e-commerce)
VnoxID / Nexora (digital identity and smart business card solutions)
Vnox Limited (Nigeria) anchors African operations, media services, and talent development—ensuring the brand remains rooted in its home continent even as it grows globally.
Okoli’s work has broad significance for both Africa and the United States. He represents the powerful impact of immigrant entrepreneurship on global competitiveness—creating new jobs, driving innovation, strengthening U.S.–Africa commercial ties, and contributing to the development of practical, scalable technologies.
The statement concludes that Vnox Technology is a brand to watch. As FlyVnox gains international traction and the Vnox group expands its footprint, Victor Okoli stands as a symbol of a rising generation: African-born, globally minded, and building technologies that connect and serve the world.
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