National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was created by former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd) on May 22, 1973 to, among other functions, foster inter-tribal marriages.
It was also a part of efforts to boost national integration, which will bring the unity that the country earnestly desires.
Nature has it that neither man nor woman, irrespective of their education background, wealth, intelligence or beauty, is considered complete or balanced without a spouse. Perhaps, this may have been the reason behind the call by the new Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, to corps members to embrace intimate interaction with one another and allow natural love lead them into inter-tribal marriages.
The DG re-echoed his inter-tribal marriage ‘evangelism’ during his visit to 2019 Batch “B” Stream One corps members at NYSC Orientation Camp in Sagamu, Ogun State, where he explained that NYSC was established as a tool to foster national unity, hence, it would continue to encourage inter-tribal marriages among corps members.
Upon his assumption to office, the new state coordinator of NYSC in Kogi State, Mr Lasaki Taofic Olayiwola, also re-echoed the DG’s position by calling for inter-tribal marriages among corps members. He explained that he wished to see them intermarry during and after their service year in order to enhance national integration and unity.
However, obsessionfor ‘already-made husband-wives has been a barrier to fostering inter-tribal marriage among corps members in Nigeria. In other words, the desire for a partner with higher degrees, higher income and apt body shape are some of the enemies working against inter-tribal marriages among corps members in Nigeria.
A friend and a fellow corps member asked: ‘David, how can I increase my chances of finding a right partner during my service year? And when I meet him, how do I know that he’s the one?’
I thought of it and told her that truly, everyone has his/her love life; everyone has a dream of getting a perfect partner. However, this seems not to be easy in real life, let alone during NYSC but the bitter truth is that you should have enough courage to trust and love especially during your NYSC, not minding the tribe where the partner comes from.
Another corps member felt most women corps members could not differentiate between their needs and wants, pointing out that until ladies realise this, they would continue running into difficulty in getting a right partner.
The corps member believes that the service year is the most significant stage in a young graduate’s life, stressing that it’s only during this phase a lady can know a resourceful husband and vice versa. He pointed out that it’s only a person known as a beggar that one could easily predict his or her future. Is she the type that always asks you to take her out for lunch or dinner? What type of life does she live? What type of friends does she keep? How does the male corps member spend his alawee (allowances)? These are some of the questions one must examine before jumping into a courtship with a fellow corps member because you actually need a partner that will fuel your dreams and engage your God-given potential.
Inquiry has also shown that most women corps members do not want to engage in relationship with their fellow corps members because of the fear they will be dumped at the end of the service year.
A corps member told me that aside fear, parents are also one of the factors working against inter-tribal marriages, owing to their level of education, religious inclinations, cultural background, and social class, among others. In other words, some parents will never allow their children to date or get married to any tribe already in their blacklist. They will simply tell you that ‘It’s a no go area’.
Nobody can predict the future. As a corps member, you just have to engage a suitable fellow corps member in a relationship not minding his or her tribe, give all your trust in the relationship and do your best to see if the relationship will work out. Give him/her every last drop of love you have. I think one of the most important things in a relationship is caring for each other through good times and bad times.
Observation has shown that the reasons why most male corps members run away from their female counterparts include high demand for money, pretence and their kind of company.
Some female corps members who grew up with one complex or deficiencies do try to cover up via dressing during their NYSC. Others who are so shy or easily intimidated may try to pretend in order to be accorded more respect. However, this may only complicate issues the more or worse still scare away a possible suitor.
Excessive make-up has eaten deep into the sense of some female corps members. They forget that too much of everything is bad. I think you can meet your soulmate if you actually minimise your make-up and what you put on as a dress because the way you dress speaks volume of who you are and what you are going to become.
Tattoo on your body can’t allow you to get a right partner during your NYSC year. This form of design on the body either temporary or permanently is synonymous with indecent dressing. It may be hard for a responsible male or female corps member to accept you with those marks.
It has also become a fad for female corps members to wear odd accessories like big ear-rings, dog chain, heavy crucifix among others and this can best be describe as immoral to certain extent.
Religious houses are not exceptional places for you to get a right partner during your NYSC. You have to know what you are looking for and what to avoid. If you have had a few relationships in the past, you can start by looking at why those relationships failed and whether you tend to fall for the same type of person in future.
Be that as it may, it’s essential to state that in the process of getting a right partner from another tribe during NYSC, ‘don’t Rush’ so that you don’t have to end up regretting. In other words, find out who he/she is before jumping into anything permanent. I pray that sooner, you will meet that right man that will make you have a very happy life.