Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for collective efforts to make Nigeria very attractive to inspire patriotism among young people, thereby making ‘japa’ syndrome (migration) a choice, rather than an escape route.
He made the call on Friday, October 2 at Awgu NYSC Orientation Camp during the swearing-in ceremony for the 2026 Batch C Stream of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to Enugu State.
Mbah stated that Nigeria’s extraordinary youth population could only become a demographic asset if the nation implements appropriate policies that engender holistic youth development.
According to him, the nation would reap immense benefits from its youth population by providing quality education, skills acquisition, job opportunities, enterprise and institutions that enable young Nigerians to convert their energy and talent into productivity and prosperity.
Mbah noted that beyond making young Nigerian graduates to experience the culture of other parts of the country, the essence of the NYSC was to instil patriotism in youths.
“We often ask young Nigerians to be patriotic. But let us ask ourselves a more difficult question: How do we earn the patriotism of our young people if they feel excluded from their country’s promise?
“Patriotism must be cultivated by creating a country in which young people can see a future for themselves,” he said.
The Enugu Governor listed the conditions necessary for germination and growth of patriotism in youths, saying “We must provide quality education; create an enabling environment for enterprise; expand opportunities; make our institutions work.
“We must build a country where merit is rewarded, hard work has meaning and dreams do not have to be exported before they can become reality”.
Nonetheless, Mbah reminded youths that as Nigerian citizens the nation required of them to be patriotic both in good and difficult times.
He said: “Patriotism also demands something from you. It demands that, even when the country is imperfect, you refuse to give up on its possibilities; that you criticise what is wrong without abandoning what can be made right; that you do not merely ask: ‘What can Nigeria give me?’ But also ask: ‘What can I give Nigeria?’
“Together, we can build a country where ‘japa’ is a choice, not an escape; where our young people can travel the world without feeling compelled to abandon home.
“If you are called upon to teach, teach as though Nigeria’s future were sitting before you – because it is. And when you encounter the difficulties, do not simply ask: ‘When will Nigeria change?’ Ask the more powerful question: ‘What can I do to change Nigeria?’ That is the question of citizenship”.
Mbah assured the Corps members of their welfare, safety and comfort in Enugu State, reminding them that Enugu is a state rich in cosmopolitan history, and where every resident could attain any height according to individual capabilities.
“The Government of Enugu State will continue to work with the NYSC authorities to provide a conducive, secure and supportive environment for your service. We will pay particular attention to your welfare, safety and the conditions under which you discharge your responsibilities across the state.
“But, importantly, note that you are not strangers in Enugu. Our history offers remarkable testimony. When Enugu was elevated to municipal status in 1952, Mallam Umaru Altine, a Fulani man from Sokoto, became its first Mayor.
“It tells us that in Enugu, where you come from need not determine how far you can go; that belonging is not always about birthplace; that citizenship is also about contribution,” he stated.
Earlier in her address, the NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs. Oluwakemi Awolola, on behalf of the Director-General of the agency, Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, said that 2,101 corps members had been registered under Batch C Stream/Orientation Course in Enugu State.
She stated that the prospective corps members, comprise 983 males and 1,118 females, adding that “their level of cooperation, enthusiasm, and willingness to participate in camp activities have been commendable”.
Awolola expressed NYSC’s gratitude to Governor Mbah for his administration’s “unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and general wellbeing of Corps members”.
“Of particular significance is the ongoing comprehensive intervention and overhaul of facilities at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Awgu, as well as improved welfare support and allowances, which you have graciously promised serving corps members,” she stated.
In their respective remarks, the State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu, and the Chairman of Awgu Local Government, Hon. Uchenna Okolo, assured the corps members that they would have the best service experience in Enugu State.
The new corps members were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Afojulu Ozoemena, represented by Justice Anthony Onovo.
Mbah also used the occasion to tour the NYSC Orientation Camp, Awgu, where he inspected completed and ongoing projects by his administration to make the Camp conducive for the corps members.
