Page 1 of 15
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 10
October 2018
Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/ P a g e | 58
Improving Nigeria’s National Security through National Youth Service Corps
DUKE, Otu O., Ph.D
Department of Public Administration
University of Calabar
*ETIM, Emmanuel Eyo (M.Sc. in View)
Department of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
National Open University of Nigeria
Lagos – Nigeria.
*Corresponding Author: emmaetim1@gmail.com
Abstract
As the drive to restore global peace and security continues, it calls on every nation and
government all over the world to address internal causes of insecurity. This study seeks to
examine the role of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in enhancing Nigeria’s National
Security, using the social identity as well as social contact theories which explains the level
of consciousness that comes from the group an individual belongs and the mutuality that
arises when people meet frequently or talk to each other and create common ground
respectively. Data were generated using secondary sources. Findings reveal that the NYSC
scheme, in more ways than one, has presented itself as a catalyst for improving national
security and should be sustained with modifications. This paper recommends, among others,
that the government, stakeholders, and private organizations should support the sustenance
and improvement of the NYSC programme by investing more resources to better the living
standard of Corps members all over the country. Also, Corps members should be used as
agents of social change to fight against ethnicity and religious disharmonies.
Keywords:National Security, NYSC, Nigeria, Social contact, Social Identity.
1. INTRODUCTION
At this point in the history of Nigeria, we need an identity other than the
current ethnic, religious and cultural disparities that separate us. We need
an identity that brings everyone into a single umbrella, an identity that
reduces the rate at which we remember our diversity, an identity that
promotes the rapid achievement and protection of our shared values and
Page 2 of 15
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 10
October 2018
Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/ P a g e | 59
common goals. We need to encourage platforms like the NYSC and work
towards its improvement and sustenance. The NYSC programme has a
collective and depersonalized identity for Nigerian youths who are filled
with positive aspects and prospects. This is a major part of national
security.
As the drive to restore global peace and security continues, it calls on every nation and
government all over the world to address internal causes of insecurity. National security as a
phenomenon is largely contested vis-à-vis its meaning and coverage. However, the plethora
of views concerning what the phenomenon should be reveals several aspects that must be
carefully considered during it debates. Ebeh (2015) sees national security as a condition
where there is constant and continuous enhancement and protection for the nation’s most
cherished values - the institutions, democracy, unity, welfare as well as well-being. Going by
this definition therefore, it becomes clear that in other to achieve national security, factors
like unity, well-being and democracy which are divergent from military prowess and might,
are necessary.Also, negative stereotypes and prejudices have been identified as major cause
of internal conflicts in Nigeria. These are consequences of an individual’s consciousness of
the group he belongs to, which in turn influence the manner at which he behaves with
members of the in-group and out-group in his neighbourhood. These prejudices may be
attributed to cultural, religious, ethnic or political affiliations and is potent enough to disrupt
the peaceful co-existence of heterogeneous people sharing a common geographical territory
who perhaps should have been united even in their diversities.
The wake of the Nigerian Civil War, which lasted from July 6, 1967 to January 5, 1970, saw
the establishment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1973 (Obadare, 2005). As
captured in Decree No. 51 of 1993, the objectives of NYSC include but not limited to
instilling discipline, patriotism and loyalty in Nigerian youths, to encourage corporate
existence, religious tolerance, social and cultural improvement and developed attitudes of
mind, all in the interest of accelerating the Nigerian national unity, economic growth and
development.This paper investigates the role of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
programme in enhancing Nigeria’s peace and national security using the social identity
theory (SIT) which explains how groups influence the attitudes and actions of their members
Page 3 of 15
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 10
October 2018
Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/ P a g e | 60
who seek at every point to place their in-group in an advantage position as against the out- group. According to Brewer (2001), there is a growing collective identity brought about by a
high level of consciousness regarding the ethnic and racial group membership. On the other
hand, the social contact theory (SCT) has been adopted to explain the mutuality that arises
when people frequently meet together or talk to each other. The social contact theory reveals
that stereotype and prejudices can be reduced, or possibly eliminated if groups work together
in corporation rather than in a competitive manner.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 National Security
Security implies the feeling of not having any reason to be in panic. The eighteenth century
brought about the modern perception of security as a key feature of the state, which should be
achieved through the use of military and diplomatic efforts. Recently however, it has been
realized that the military and diplomatic measures alone are inadequate in ensuring security.
Therefore, a participatory approach has come to gain more prominence by allowing for a
joint effort between the unarmed individuals (civilians) and the legally armed forces of a
country.
National security (NS) is a form of security that is expected for people who share a territorial
boundary, otherwise known as a country. The concept of NS has long gone beyond mere
military activities and has become the business of everybody. The term NS came into
political discourse in the mid-1940s and was concerned with before, during and after war
conditions and the unification of the armed services. It made efforts to linkcitizen’s daily
activities with the overall national interest.NS cuts across every sphere of human endeavours
and activities in a country. Achieving a widely accepted definition of NS is visible only
through a joint labour between history and philosophy. NS is determined largely by the
actions of citizens, the government, activities of governmental and non-governmental
organizations, religious, cultural, ethnic and political groups, etc. NS encompasses the effects
or outcome of government actions and inactions, the political and economic status of the
country, literacy rate, youth activities, poverty level, health status, level of civilization,
among others. The concept of NS is limited only to an individual’s imagination.
