The National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) scheme turned 50 this month. As Nigerians hilariously reflect on the memories of their exciting journeys through the scheme, I felt compelled to also share my odyssey, which is a unique case study in national unity, management of diversity and meritocracy. Remarkably, I served 2004/5 at the Government House in Osogbo as the personal physician to the then governor of Osun State; HE Brigadier General Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (rtd) – pictured with me above.
By providence, I was the first medical doctor to arrive at the orientation camp in Ede, Osun State, in September 2004. That was my first time ever down south. Tradition demands that the first ‘corper doctor’ to arrive at the camp should be the head of the clinic. Mrs Adejumo, the NYSC official to head the camp clinic, had no difficulty inducting me as same. My schedule initially appeared simple; set up the clinic, keep a register of all doctors in order of arrival until camp closes, and generally conduct activities as the ‘Chief Medical Director’ (an oversize title for a freshly out of school medical officer).
There were thirty-eight doctors that eventually registered. More than half were from the South East, many from the South West, and about four came from the Middle Belt. They also exclusively attended Universities of Lagos, Benin, Ibadan, Ilorin, and Jos. I wasn’t only the odd guy of the lot but the one to also provide both clinical and administrative leadership for that congregation of some of the brightest, most ambitious, and disciplined Nigerians I would ever meet. Many of them are now in Europe and North America, practising as distinguished physicians and respected academics in various fields.
Together, we took control of the clinic block, which eventually became the lodge for some of us too, converted it into a functional sickbay and even performed an emergency surgery (on a hospital theartre utside the camp) for a fellow corp member who had a raptured ovarian cyst. In appreciation of these services, I became the toast of the high and mighty in the camp, most specifically that of the State Director, Mr Patrick (pictured above with Dr KC Iwuji, now a professor of Surgery in the United States).
As the orientation period drew to an end, we all became preoccupied with where to be posted for our primary assignments.
Even though Osun State had a free healthcare policy and NYSC doctors were generally well renumerated, most corp members preferred to be posted to the few available prestigious places; the government house, police clinic, the state hospital and a missionary health facility all in the state capital, Osogbo. I was so ‘influential’ in camp that fellow doctors lobbied through me for preferential postings. But I eventually didn’t lobby for either myself or anyone. My posting letter indicated that I should report to the General Hospital in Ilesha as my place of primary assignment. I was very indifferent and reported the same day. I however sought permission and travelled back to Kano to return in a week’s time. Then something happened!
The Government House in Osogbo officially wrote to the NYSC to request the services of a medical officer to serve as a physician in their clinic. Needless to mention but the letter added that due to the sensitive nature of the post, it was expecting the state NYSC to recommend their best.
The State Director, a Christian from the East, wrote back to Director of Protocol at the Government House, a Christian from the West, that the best he had in offer was a certain Dr Nuruddeen Muhammad, a Muslim from the North. The Government House in Osogbo accepted my posting, but the problem was that I was no where to be found. I had overstayed in Kano! They accordingly pushed for a replacement. Mr Osakwe, however, insisted that as long as that request letter was addressed to him, then his best hand to work with the governor was Dr Muhammad, and there was no second best. Case closed, he insisted.It didn’t matter to his patriotic soul, my ethnicity, the part of Nigeria I came from, or the religion I profess.
The Osun state governor, retired Brigadier general Oyinlola, was a former military administrator of Lagos State when Abacha was head of state. His deputy was a towering Ijesha Princess, Dame Erulu Olusola Obada. She called me ‘corper’ the day the governor introduced me to her. As a physician in the government house clinic, I became close to both of them and their families. Coincidentally, I found that Governor Oyinlola’s ADC was also from Jigawa State.
I lived large in the governor’s official guest house; a sophisticated and tastefully furnished four bedroom apartment, with a cook and free telephone services right inside the government house annexe in the Okefia area of Osogbo. Working under Dr Bankole (the chief medical officer of the government house clinc), we saw the governor for routine checks every morning and travelled in his official convoy throughout the state and beyond.
The governor was so magnanimous that he, at the end of my service year, requested that I drop my curriculum vitae with him. I had, however, made up my mind to proceed with
medical postgraduate training immediately after NYSC.
Life moves fast and even faster when you are busy. Barely six years later, I found myself sitting in the Federal Executive council with the now former deputy governor of Osun state, HE Olusola Obada, as a colleague and Minister of the Federal Republic (she was in ministry of defence and yours sincerely in Foreign Affairs ministry). Pictured above with her at a dinner in the island of Sao Tome, Republic of Sao Tome and Precipe in 2013. She has never hesitated to proudly tell anyone that I was her ‘corper’ doctor as I led her (among other ministers in regional and continental peace and security meetings in the continent and beyond)
I can recall one particular instance when we travelled to Cameron with the President (Goodluck Jonathan), and the three of us were seated around the dining table in his hotel suite. She, as usual, proudly said, “Mr President, Nuruddeen was my ‘corper’ doctor while I was a deputy governor.” The President smiled and said he was the deputy governor of Bayelsa state around that time too, and urged the three of us to thank God almighty for His special grace in our lives; myself for the privilege to sit with my superior (just six years ago) as a colleague and Mrs Obada for the humbling opportunity to meet her subordinate at the same level in life. She still admirably calls me corper, to which I always answer with a resounding YES MA!
At 50, NYSC may have its various shortcomings, however, warts and all it is a unique Nigerian innovation with the potentials to generate a sub revolution in national unity, cohesion, meritocracy, youth enterprise and tolerance if properly reengineered and repackaged.
Long live NYSC!
Dr Nuruddeen Muhammad
21/05/2023
