By our Reporter
Distinguished Professor Emeritus Peter A. Okebukola, OFR, former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Director of the UNESCO-affiliated Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, has lauded the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as “the best thing to happen to Nigeria,” during a historic visit to the NYSC Ogun State Secretariat in Abeokuta earlier today.
The esteemed academic, who was among the first set of corps members in 1973, paid a courtesy visit to the Ogun State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Olayinka Diana Nasamu, to forge a partnership aimed at recruiting top-tier graduates into his institute. Reflecting on his own NYSC experience, Prof. Okebukola shared a candid revelation: “We were initially resistant to leaving our comfort zones for national service. Some of us even opposed the scheme’s founder, General Yakubu Gowon. However, history has vindicated his vision—today, Nigeria is better for it.”
Located within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding, established 12 years ago under UNESCO’s auspices, seeks to harness exceptional talent from the NYSC scheme. Prof. Okebukola emphasized the institute’s preference for first-class graduates, though he noted that candidates with second-class upper degrees would also be considered. In a significant incentive, he disclosed that two corps members deployed to the institute annually would be retained with permanent employment opportunities at UNESCO, a United Nations agency renowned as a global hub of intellectual excellence.
“This collaboration aligns with UNESCO’s mandate to advance education and cultural understanding across Africa,” Okebukola stated. “By engaging bright young minds from NYSC, we aim to strengthen the institute’s impact while offering life-changing career pathways.”
Mrs. Nasamu warmly welcomed the proposal, reaffirming NYSC Ogun’s commitment to the partnership. “The NYSC scheme thrives on such synergies with esteemed institutions,” she said. “We are eager to support this initiative, which promises immense value for our corps members and the nation.”
The collaboration marks a strategic step toward linking Nigeria’s youth with global opportunities, bridging academia and international diplomacy.
