On incessant deaths of corps members By Tunde Ajibike

It is saddening to hear about the sudden and untimely death of nine corps members currently serving in Taraba State of Nigeria.
It was reported in the media that nine out of twenty two corps members got drowned while picnicking at River Mayo – Selbe in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State.
It is unfortunate that the upsurge in volume of water carried the young graduates away and their corpses were later found in the river.
The trend is becoming worrisome and there is a need to urgently address it.
How do we explain the calamity which is traceable to youthful exuberance on the part of young graduates who are supposed to be the great leaders of tomorrow? It is disheartening that they cut their lives short abruptly and threw their parents into deep mourning.
While it is humanistic to commiserate and condole with the parents, relations, friends and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), it is also expedient to checkmate the excesses of these corps members and re-orientate them to eschew acts of violence, vices and misdenamour that are inimical to their health and well being.
No doubt, the NYSC scheme is a laudable programme conceptualised and designed by the Federal Government of Nigeria on 22nd May, 1973 with the aim of using it as a tool of reconciliation, reconstruction and rebuilding of the nation after the civil war.
It was primarily established based on decree 24.
The scheme was created to encourage and develop common ties among the youths of Nigeria and promote national unity, but the events unfolding these days are sending wrong signals to members of the public.
There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigerians are becoming skeptical about the veracity of the claims made by the NYSC that the welfare of corps members is paramount to the scheme.
The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Suleiman Kazaure, confirmed that 95 per cent of deaths recorded of corps members were due to road accidents.
It is baffling that corps members embark on unnecessary and frivolous journeys in spite of the words of admonition to take permission before travelling out of their respective areas of primary assignment.
Not only this, corps members are brazenly maimed by hoodlums during elections.
A typical example is an orphan, Okonta Samuel Dumebi, who was gruesomely murdered during a Rivers state re-run election.
A corps member was also shot dead by a policeman on July 4, 2018, a SARS officer identified as Benjamin Peters on the day of her Passing out Parade (POP) at the Federal Capital Territory.
The case of Ojesola Taofeek, a young graduate serving in Bayelsa State that got drowned three months ago in Nembe River is still fresh in the memory of Nigerians.
The corps member reportedly visited Ogbolomabiri Jetty to take pictures of the waterside as part of memories during service year when he accidently fell in to the river.
All attempts to rescue him proved futile, he lost his life in the process.
Another pathetic incident was reported in the media which involved three corps members that lost their lives during the 2016 Batch B, Stream 1, Orientation Course in Bayelsa, Kano and Zamfara states.
The death of the trio, Chinyerun Nweneda Elechi; Ifedapo Oladapo and Monday Asuquo Ukeme followed a brief illness and the NYSC claimed that medical teams in the camps battle to save their lives in line with established procedures, hence some critics are insinuating that the NYSC is fond of spurious claims.
The inexhaustive list of corps members that passed on during the orientation programme generated a lot of controversy.
Another example is Miss Hilda Amadi who was reportedly died during the orientation camp in Kwara State.
The incessant killing of corps members and the avoidable deaths of these young graduates is adversely affecting the corporate image of the NYSC.
The death of corps members during the orientation camps across the nation was alleged to be caused by the negligence of the medical team of the NYSC, who are allegedly either incompetent or manifesting a carefree attitude which consequently led to the death of the corps members.
We cannot blame the NYSC for the death of corps members in vehicular accidents while embarking on frivolous and unauthorised journeys.
Also, corps members that patronise club houses and take delight in “crawling” in the midnight may be in danger.
The law enforcement agents could mistake them for robbers or marauders.
Most often, they may be arrested and locked up or shot at midnight.
These young men and ladies get involved in a lot of sharp practices and vices ranging from cyber crimes, prostitution, kidnapping, highway robbery, abduction; drug abuse, raping, ritual killing, advance fees fraud and so on.
Parents have significant roles to play to reduce the persistent killing of the corps members and minimise the untimely death of these young graduates.
It is behoves them to enforce discipline, especially at the formative stages of the lives of their children.
It is disheartening to observe that some parents are running permissive homes at the expense of their children.
Therefore, ensuring the safety of corps member is the responsibility of all stakeholders.
Ajibike is a staff of Oyo State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Ibadan