Interview: Group of Patriotic Corpers

Despite the many dire challenges Nigeria faces and the seeming bleakness of the future, she has reasons, within the stock of her young population, to hope. The Group of Patriotic Corpers is one of such reasons. Comprising of young, energetic, inspired and indeed patriotic fresh graduates presently serving the nation under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the GPC represents light, not at the end of the tunnel but rather emerging right within the tunnel, to lead us to the Nigeria of our dreams.

I hope you’ll be instructed and delighted as you read my interview with Mr. John Okoro, the Head of the group.

Mr. John Okoro

1.       In these times, what does it mean to be a patriotic Nigerian Youth?

A patriotic Nigerian youth is one who is proud of Nigeria irrespective of the ills and misnomers within the society. A patriot would always love his country no matter what the state of things are.

2.       Don’t you think saying “Group of Patriotic Corpers” is rather repetitive, shouldn’t Corps members be patriotic by default?

*Laughs* Nothing happens by default, and there is always a gulf of disparity between the real and ideal. Ideally, all Corpers are meant to be patriotic but this is not the case. This is why we chose to stand out; perhaps we would be able to restore the patriotic fervor by so doing.

3.       How many people make up GPC?

GPC is made up of eight (8) Core members and other adhoc members. Interestingly, we also have non-Corps members that consult for us and support us in one scale or the other.

4.       Would the group outlive the service year of its members? If yes, how?

This is a question I always get whenever I tell people about GPC and our several Projects. And the answer is ‘YES, Our projects will continue even after our service year’. We have a strategic succession plan and this involves having different batches of corps members on our core-committee. For instance very soon we shall be bringing on board some batch A corps members who shall take over from us when we leave. They will also hand over to the next batch…and the succession continues.

5.       Tell us about some key members of the group.

Like I earlier said, GPC has eight (8) Core members. Each member of GPC is dedicated, committed, and passionate towards the project, and I can boldly say that our members are professionals that know their onions. Below are the members of GPC:

1.      Myself (John Okoro); I am presently serving at the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation.

2.      Wukeh Egem Odey (Serving at PriceWaterHouseCoopers; PWC);  Wukeh is the Assistant Coordinator/Finance director of the Group.

3.      Tope Hassan (Serving at PHCN); Tope is the administrative head of the Group.

4.      Tayo fagade (serving at the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation); Tayo is the Partnership Relationship Manager, and the Program manager of the Ideas battle challenge, a business competition targeted at students of secondary schools in FCT.

5.      Ogechi Nwobia (Serving at Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative; NEITI); Ogechi is the Public Relations Officer of the Group.

6.      Ruth Ejuojo (Serving at National Action Council on Aids; NACA); Ruth is the Secretary and the Legal Adviser of the Group.

7.      Chuba Ezekwesili (serving at Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre; CSLAC); Chuba is the CSR Manager of the Group.

8.      Obinna Chukwudum (Serving at Alpha plus limited); Obinna is the Media Head of the Group.

6.       Based on the Next Generation report, what do you think would be the impact of the exclusion of many present day Nigerian youths and children from quality education? (Click here to Learn more about the Next Generation Report)

Calamity! I have nothing else to add!

7.       Is there a cause for alarm? How loudly should we sound it?

Yes there is surely a cause for alarm, and GPC has been an active voice in raising the awareness concerning this looming avoidable calamity. Let me give you some statistics to whet your appetite. We live in a country with an increasing youth population. Today the persons between the ages of 0-14 account for more than 40 percent of the population. The unemployment rate as at 2012 stands at 23.9 percent. We live in a society where the culture of impunity is encouraged and sugarcoated. We hear daily how cases of bribery and corruption fizzle out of the airwaves like a train losing steam and nothing is said about it. Most public servants are all but passionate about National progress. What is more saddening is that groups set up to protect rights of youths have become mesmerized by political aspirations. What is the National Youth Council and the National Association of Nigerian Students doing about the unfair treatment of youths, particularly students across the country? They do not know that they are sitting on a time bomb!

I have contempt with Corrupt Nigerian politicians and public servants-because I expect their actions to be at the level of their thinking, the issue that bothers me is that most of our youths have become sunken in the aqua of greed and stagnation. Where is therefore the hope of this Nation if the youths that are meant to be the future are still held back by the thinking of the past? I’ll leave that question to you. But there is hope.

8.       Is this another responsibility of the government? Or do you think it goes beyond the government?

The government does surely have its role to play, but since the three arms of government have performed dastardly in creating the enabling environment for growth and egalitarianism, it is high time technocrats and patriots stepped in to rebuild the broken down walls. Additionally, history has proven that National transformation has seldom been orchestrated by the government; most great transformations have occurred as a result of the initiative of individuals or groups. Martin Luther was never the president of America, but he made more impact most presidents of the world that have ever lived. Mahatma Gandhi wasn’t a politician yet he impacted India and fought for their independence. The same goes for Mother Theresa and Che Guevara. At GPC we believe that both the Government and the People of Nigeria have a huge role to play in shaping Nigeria and we believe that a greater responsibility rests on our shoulders-we the citizens. Let’s not forget that the government is an institution, it cannot make choices on its own; it is the decisions of individuals that shape the actions and behaviors of the government. Good individuals will run a good government but when the opposite is the case it is then you have perfidy, mendacity, self-aggrandizement and bigotry pervading the streets like homeless mendicants. But GPC believes there is hope!

9.       Any Challenges as group? Has GPC had a smooth ride?

I really have to think about this *Thinks for a while*. You see the thing is we are always too busy accomplishing our mandates that sometimes we completely forget to acknowledge our challenges. But ‘YES’ there have been challenges and the major one has been in the area of support. We discovered that most organizations pay lip service to youth development and mentorship, only few corroborate their words by actions. But I must say that as a group we have been really privileged to have received support and encouragement from a wide spectrum of organizations, at least above the expected threshold within the non-profit industry.

10.   Whose support does GPC need?

We need everyone’s support. We need participation from every group and category of people, and daily we entertain various calls and request for partnership and support. Remember, this project is only done by GPC, the objective is not for GPC alone, and it’s for all Nigerians, particularly the youths. We are very open to support.

11.   You give success nuggets all the time, please share one with us.

There was a quote we saw somewhere that has become our creed. It says “There is nothing wrong with Nigeria that cannot be solved by what is right with Nigeria”.  Thank you.

 For more about the GPC and its activities

No Water, No Thoroughfare

‘Behind XXXXX hotel’ I told the Okada man as I climbed on his motorbike, a laptop bag and another well stuffed carrier bag in hand.

We had moved a considerable distance before the realization dawned on the Okada man.

‘Front, front?’ he asked.

He would have communicated better in Hausa, his native language but I neither speak nor understand it, so we were left to grapple with a language similar to English.

‘Yes’ I replied, a bit irritated at the question. I thought I had made myself clear the first time.

‘We no go pass. Den don block road. Student’ he said, gesturing with his hands to make his point clearer.

Then I saw it for myself. The part of the Keffi-Akwanga road we now approached was a sea of disengaged Okada riders who had parked their motor bikes so as to watch protesting students. On both sides of the road, vehicles of different types and sizes, ranging from saloon cars to buses, and trucks were parked. Their occupants stood by and looked on. There was no thoroughfare. The students had ensured that. They blocked the road with drums, burning tires and themselves.

I could also see men of the Nigerian Military and Men of the Civil Defence Corps.

The Okada man parked and I alighted, curious, afraid and undecided. My destination was still quite a distance. This was not the plan when I left Abuja (where I had spent the weekend) that Monday morning. The plan was to drop my little luggage at my house located behind XXXXX hotel and then dash off to my place of work at the Nasarawa State University. But the students changed the plan. They chose the day to protest.

Protest over what? Water.

Water supply had been completely non-existent for weeks prior to that Monday. The student community had resorted to fetching from wells but those had equally gone dry. When students could not look ‘fresh’ to lecture halls any longer due to days without proper baths and laundering, it became a problem. Perhaps they told the University management about their problems, perhaps they did not, I cannot tell. What I can tell is that it got to the climax on Monday the 25th of February 2013, and the students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, embarked on what was supposed to be a peaceful protest. I later heard on Channels Television that three students lost their lives.

Having disembarked from the Motor cycle, I asked directions about alternative routes I could take to my house, stressing to my listeners that it was behind XXXXX hotel.  They (Some Okada riders who had turned onlookers) unanimously agreed that there was a street ahead, off the road that I could take.

‘After the filling station, the next road, enter, go, straight, ask, dey wol show you’

I thanked them and took off, on foot.  I was trembling but the sight of other people walking about calmly gave me a sort of confidence. I walked past the Security officers, past the filling station, turned into the side street, walked on, asked directions and went on as directed, thinking in my mind that there were many ways to kill a rat. If the students thought they could debar me, they had better had a rethink. Then I heard the sounds. Yes, gun shots!  Then people running into the side street, towards their houses. They had come out to watch; now they were running back in. Where was I to run to? XXXXX hotel was not in view; talk of the house behind it!

More shots, more running and screaming, I began to panic. Then my legs moved in the direction the others were running to. Yes, in the direction of their houses. I ran into one of such houses and only got out about thirty minutes later.

Did you know bullets cannot penetrate mud houses? I will find out, but that was what one of the occupants of the mud house that I ran into said. At that time it was good news to my ears.

Who were those shooting? You might ask. That is still a mystery to me. I did not see them; I only heard the gunshots and scrambled to the safety of a mud house.  The very next day, on the radio, I heard that the Military and the Nigerian Police force denied killing anybody. Eyewitnesses argued but the forces still denied.
Much later in the day, when the incident had evolved into group arguments over the facts like how many people were killed (Some said seven, others said five, others three, a neighbor of mine maintained ten, even though she was huddled up in her room when it all happened); and into a decision by the University management that the school be shut down till further notice, I re-parked my carrier bag and took off to the Capital city.

Lessons to Learn:

1.       Water? Really? Shame. There is no need to talk much on this issue. Water is a basic need and its abundant supply in a University community should be ensured.

2.       A riot management arm of the Nigerian police force should be in charge of civil protests. The men of the Nigerian Military need not be disturbed unnecessarily. Tear gas and rubber bullets should be used on such occasions to prevent loss of life via stray bullets.