Uphold peace, unity for national development — Gov Adeleke charges corps members

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has urged members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, deployed to the state to uphold the law, embrace peaceful coexistence and contribute positively to national development.

Governor Adeleke who was represented by the Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Moshood Olagunju gave the charge on Friday at the swearing-in and official opening ceremony of the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream II Orientation Course held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Ede.

The governor urged the corps members to remain committed to the National Pledge and Oath of Allegiance administered at the ceremony, stressing the importance of resolving grievances through lawful and constitutional channels.

“I urge you therefore, to stay true to the National Pledge and Oath of Allegiance you swore to before witnesses today,” Adeleke said.

He warned the corps members against taking the laws into their own hands and urged them to avoid actions capable of misleading younger Nigerians who may regard them as role models.

Adeleke also encouraged the corps members to respect ethnic, cultural and other differences among themselves, while building relationships based on unity, tolerance and mutual respect.

“Make friends and relate freely with one another, cherishing and respecting your differences while diligently discovering your similarities. Corps members should treat one another as brothers and sisters,” he said.

The governor assured the corps members that his administration would continue to support the NYSC scheme in Osun, particularly in the areas of their welfare and safety throughout their service year.

He described Osun as a “beautiful and relatively peaceful State. Its people are peace-loving and accommodating.”

Meanwhile, the NYSC Osun State Coordinator, Ekeng Ita Kubiangha, disclosed that 3,000 corps members had been registered for the orientation programme as of midnight on Thursday, August 6, including corps members dislodged from Lagos State.

Kubiangha said the three-week orientation course was designed to prepare corps members for the challenges of national service through physical fitness, lectures, mental alertness, social activities, sporting activities and the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme.

He also urged the corps members to maintain discipline, cleanliness and patriotism, while drawing their attention to the forthcoming Osun governorship election, during which some corps members would serve as ad hoc personnel for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“As you settle into Camp activities, it is important to draw your attention to the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Osun State in which your predecessors will be participating as adhoc staff of the INEC. I and my team before the commencement of this Orientation Course, visited all the 27 local government areas where Corps Members are currently deployed in the State to sensitise them on their electoral duties and roles in ensuring a free, fair and credible election. 

“The sensitisation had in attendance INEC Officials, DPOs, NSCDC, DSS Officers in the local governments. I want you to join the Scheme in praying for the safety and peaceful conduct of the exercise across the State,” he said. 

He said the NYSC had already sensitised corps members across the state on their electoral responsibilities and urged them to support a peaceful exercise.

Uphold peace, unity for national development — Gov Adeleke charges corps members