The Passing Out Parade of the Batch B Stream 11 of the 2022 National Youth Service Corp on Thursday saw nothing less than 4,453 youths out of the Service in Oyo State.

This year’s parade was actually characterized as lowkey, void of the usual parade ceremony due to recent rising happenings of insecurity.

The State Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Ogbuogebe monitored the passing out parade at Loyola College and Lagelu Local Government Secretariat respectively.

While delivering her farewell speech, the DG who was represented by the Oyo State Coordinator, Mrs. Grace Ogbuogebe urged the corps members to be resourceful and make good use of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Department (SEAD) project, adding that such empowerment creates the opportunity for financial independence and productivity.

“Take care of yourself as you are disengaging from the National Youth Service. Make good use of your hands. If you get employed fine, it doesn’t stop you from using the skills you acquired. You are not expected to have one source of income. One source of income is dangerous. If that one closes, you start doing something else. But when you have your business, during weekends you make use of the time to attend to client. Even after close of work each day, you can open your shop.”

Speaking further, she enjoined the Corps members to be involved only in legitimate business learned during the one-year mandatory service to the fatherland.

She also cautioned them against cultism, drug abuse, cybercrime, armed robbery, and other social vices which are mostly done by lazy people who don’t want to struggle to make it in life. There are legitimate ways of making money.

“The impact you made in the lives of individuals in your host communities have contributed immensely to the development of this Pacesetter State. Remember, Oyo State is a Pacesetter State, therefore, you must always live in pace. Don’t ever find yourself at the back.

“There’s no employment anywhere, if there is, is just 1 percent. Which organization will employ 5,000 applicants? What is 5,000 or even 10,000 in 350,000 youth thrown into the labour market? So you can see where the problem lies. For the ladies you can learn fashion design and be able to sow your wedding gown, likewise the male, you can sow your wedding suit. You can also go into Agriculture.”

A total of 4,453 corps members comprising 1874 males and 2579 females were discharged from the mandatory service year in Oyo State.

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