On May 22, 1973, the military government of General Yakubu Gowon established the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to foster unity among ethnic groups and address post-war problems.
Prior to the establishment of the scheme, Nigeria was plagued by a devastating civil war that lasted three years. The unfortunate conflict known as the Nigerian–Biafran war, destroyed everything that held over 200 ethnic groups in the country together.
The war damaged the political, economic, ethnic, religious and social connections among the major ethnic groups in Nigeria with over three million casualties recorded.
After the war ended in January 1970, the government started making moves to repair the country. One of such moves gave birth to the establishment of the NYSC in 1973.
The scheme was established by decree No 24 “with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity”.
As an idea born out of the need to resolve a post-war crisis, the scheme was designed to encourage and develop common ties among the youths of different ethnic groups across the country.
Arguably, the scheme has successfully achieved this goal in the last 50 years by deploying fresh graduates to other parts of the country other than their state of origin or their state of birth to compulsorily serve the country for a period of one year.
Within the one-year service period, the youths are expected to interact and relate with the people of their host communities to form bonds that foster the unity of the country regardless of tribe and religion.
Graduates that participate in the NYSC scheme are called corps members.
