NORMALLY, 𝐍𝐘𝐒𝐂 IS NOT AN ACHIEVEMENT- BY YUSHAB ABOLORE AYOMIDE

I remember the excitement that filled my heart as I watched countless friends and strangers online, proudly posting their NYSC khakis. I couldn't wait for my own turn. I dreamt of that moment when I’d wear that uniform, a symbol of having crossed one of the many hurdles of adulthood, the moment when I could finally say I had reached a milestone. I, too, wanted to join the ranks of those who had made it through. 

The anticipation was almost too much to bear. I thought to myself, "This is it. This is the moment I’ve been working toward." But when the day came, when I finally donned the khaki and set foot into the world of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), something changed. 

That was the day I realized — 𝐍𝐘𝐒𝐂 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 

It was supposed to be a significant step in my journey, something to be proud of. But instead, it felt more like a requirement, a system I had to navigate if I wanted any chance of having a career in Nigeria. *A requirement*. Not a dream, not a reward for hard work, but a box to tick on the way to what I thought would be a brighter future.

What had I really achieved? Was this really a milestone, or was it just a stepping stone toward a place I didn’t even want to be? I thought I would feel empowered, like I was advancing toward something greater. Instead, all I saw was a year of wasted time, endless bureaucracy, and a system that promised so much but delivered so little. 

Where was the security that was supposed to come with this experience? The protection? The sustainable development that was supposed to follow? There was none. The allowance they gave us? A joke. Barely enough to cover transportation, let alone anything that could sustain a life. No, there was nothing about NYSC that felt worth celebrating. Nothing that made me believe it was a gateway to success. 

I couldn’t help but feel disillusioned. Every day felt like I was just spinning my wheels, investing energy into something that, in the end, would give me no real return. I met so many fellow Corps members, bright-eyed and hopeful at first, but soon their spirits seemed to fade. I watched as many ghosted their Primary Place of Assignment (PPA), as if they, too, realized the futility of it all. They left, finding any escape they could, anything to stop wasting away in a system that offered them no real opportunities.

And in all that, I came to understand — NYSC isn’t worth it. It’s not an achievement. It’s a required course that we all must take, whether we believe in it or not. 

The truth is, when you have dreams that are bigger than the system allows, when you can see the potential in yourself that the system refuses to recognize, you realize that NYSC is just a distraction. It’s something that demands your time and energy, yet it offers no real rewards. It’s a process, yes. A long, tedious, frustrating process that I can’t skip, but one I’ve come to feel is no longer relevant. 

At the end of the day, we all want more than what NYSC offers. We want growth. We want stability. We want to make a real impact. But what we’re given is simply a year of waiting, a year that passes by like a blur. And when it’s over, what have we really gained? A certificate, perhaps. But not the life we had hoped for.

Maybe it’s time we all wake up and acknowledge it —𝐍𝐘𝐒𝐂 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. It’s just another hoop to jump through. Another year lost. Another year we’ll never get back.

©️ 𝐘USHAH 𝐀. 𝐀YOMIDE

- Nigeria