The President made this comment while highlighting the importance of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) program.
While receiving delegates of the NYSC at the presidential villa in Abuja, on Thursday, President Buhari commended Yakubu Gowon, former military head of state, for introducing the NYSC as a means of uniting Nigeria.
He described the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme as a laudable one that needs to be sustained as it affords the opportunity for Nigerian youths to understand the country better.
“Whenever I meet General Gowon up till today, I thank him for initiating the NYSC. It is nationalist and patriotic thinking that led to the development of the scheme,” he added
According to a statement by Femi Adesina, Buhari’s spokesman, the President noted that the scheme has made the youth to know their country better and understand other cultures, adding that Lagosians who have never visited Ikeja can find themselves in other parts of the country.
“People come from far and wide; some from Victoria Island in Lagos have not even been to Ikeja. They now find themselves in Daura and other parts of the country. Whenever I go to my town, I get in touch with members; some of them from Lagos, some from Port Harcourt,” he stated.
In the statement by the president’s spokesman, the corps members, who were led by Sunday Dare, minister of youth and sports development, and Ibrahim Shehu, director-general of the NYSC, came to thank the president for increasing their monthly allowance from N19,800 to N33,000.
According to them, “the implementation in January, when we least expected it brought tears of joy to us as we had doubts of the promises earlier made.”
“You have demonstrated that you are a loving and caring father committed to the welfare of his children,” they added.
They also reiterated their commitment to do their best during their period in the scheme.
“The increase is a wake-up call to us to show more commitment to the affairs of our fatherland. We are great stakeholders in our collective determination of building a prosperous and united Nigeria, the future belongs to us.”