The NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Kuburat Omowumi Bakare has declared that Lecture series is a crucial phase of orientation course exercise.
The State Coordinator made the declaration when she flagged off the lecture series for the 2025 Batch 'A' (Stream 1) at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko.
Bakare, who disclosed that lectures on camp are meant to deepen the knowledge, leadership abilities and civic responsibilities of the members of the service corps charged them to maximise the opportunities provided by various lectures.
While commending the corps members for their commitment to national service, she said that orientation course is designed to lay a solid foundation for the successful service year.
"Lecture is a carefully designed platform to broaden your understanding of national issues, sharpen your leadership potentials, and equip you with vital skills for personal and professional development" she said.
She revealed that the lecture sessions would feature prominent experts for diverse sectors, which included security, health, finance, government and civil society organisations. She hinted that topics to be considered were security consciousness, entrepreneurship, public health, civic duties, and socio-cultural integration.
The NYSC top voice in the State further enjoined the corps members to approach the lectures with all seriousness, stressing that the knowledge gained would not only guide them during their service year but also in their future endeavours.
Reiterating the mission of NYSC as a vehicle for national unity, integration and development, the State Coordinator admonished the corps members to be embodiment of discipline, hard work, patriotism and agents of peaceful coexistence throughout their service year.
"I encourage you to embrace the diversity you see around you, build bridges of friendship and commit yourselves to the betterment of our society".
The Coordinator expressed gratitude to the resource persons and partners for their support, describing their contributions as pivotal to the success of the programme and advancement of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, in an insightful manner, Colonel Rotimi Alade (retd) of Oakland Security Services, delivered a captivating lecture on 'Security Awereness' which exposed Corps Members to security tips, that will assist them to navigate today’s volatile and security challenging environment.
Col. Alade (retd) emphasized that security is a collective and personal responsibility, highlighting practical steps Corps Members must take to ensure their safety.
Among the tips given were; avoiding late-night movements, communicating travel plans to trusted contacts, varying daily routes to avoid predictability, steering clear of local politics, identifying key security stakeholders in their environments and maintaining a high level of personal vigilance.
"Ultimately, your security starts and ends with you. Always be on alert, be conscious of your environment and ultimately, remain proactive" he advised.
The event set the tone for an intensive and enriching lecture series expected to equip the Corps Members with the knowledge and values necessary for a successful and impactful service year.
NYSC IS COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING YOUTHS THROUGH SKILLS ACQUISITION
- Ondo Coordinator tells Corps Members
The NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Kuburat Omowumi Bakare has asserted that the National Youth Service Corps Scheme is committed to providing graduate youths with sustainable means of livelihood through skills acquisition.
The State Coordinator made the assertion during the flag-off ceremony of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme for 2025 Batch 'A' (Stream 1) corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare-Akoko.
Declaring the ceremony open at the multi functional SAED Centre, Bakare disclosed that the Scheme has adopted a pragmatic approach to presenting corps members with opportunities for financial literacy, self-development and entrepreneurial actualisation.
She described the SAED programme as a timely intervention to address Nigeria’s persistent unemployment challenges, particularly the growing disconnect between the number of graduates and available white-collar job opportunities.
The NYSC boss observed that the significance of acquiring skills in today's world can not be overemphasized, describing the programme as a turnaround for good number of graduate youths who desired to provide jobs for teeming Nigerians rather than searching for non existent and elusive jobs, thus contributing to Nigeria’s economic development.
While highlighting the structure of the programme, she explained that SAED training is divided into two phases: an in-camp and a post-camp training.
According to the State Coordinator, 'The in-camp training will span ten days, offering corps members three hours of practical, hands-on learning daily. Key objectives include helping participants make informed decisions about skill acquisition, offering an overview of available sectors, teaching the fundamentals of business planning, and providing career advancement guidance'.
"After the orientation camp, corps members will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge through the post-camp training, in line with the SAED motto: 'One Corps Member, Two Skills'. This phase will include advanced entrepreneurship training, advisory services, career preparation initiatives, and critical soft skills development, including branding, digital marketing, and customer care”.
The foremost corps member in the Sunshine State also outlined the eleven available SAED skill sub-sets, which include Agro-Allied, ICT, Creative Industry, Construction, Culinary Services, Green Energy and Satellite Security Technology.
Others are Cosmetology, Cleaning Services, Automobile, Education, and Delivery/Logistics Services.
She, therefore, enjoined the corps members to take advantage of the training to be self-reliant.
The Head of SAED on camp, Mrs. Rosemary Tope Oniyesan appreciated the trainers for the huge sacrifice they are making each time NYSC beckons on them, while praying that their labour of love would not go unrewarded.
Oniyesan, like others before her in that capacity, appealed to corps members to be serious and show enthusiasm and follow religiously the in-camp training methods, assuring them that they would not regret their actions.
In a similar lecture delivered at the ceremony, Mr. Ikuomola Tolu from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) reassured corps members of available support mechanisms. He disclosed that SMEDAN, through grants and funding opportunities sourced from international and local bodies, is well-positioned to assist young entrepreneurs.
"Funding should not be a problem for you, especially as a corps member. Through the NYSC-SMEDAN partnership, members of the service corps have a clear advantage in accessing funding and advisory services, provided they remain committed and steer clear of fraudulent practices" he stressed.
While outlining critical steps to entrepreneurial successes, he urged corps members to focus on innovative, passion-driven, and sustainable business ideas, build solutions for their communities, and embrace proper business registration and marketing practices.
He stressed the importance of discipline and hard work, advising them to commit large amounts of time to growing their business, and hinted that success does not come easy, but the rewards are worth the effort.
With the flag-off of the SAED programme, NYSC Ondo State has once again reaffirmed its commitment to equipping Nigerian youths with practical tools for economic empowerment and national development.
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