Olushola Omogbehin
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has said that the Federal Government has not approved Adire as the replacement for the National Youth Service Corps’ (NYSC), saying that his earlier remarks on the matter were misrepresented.
Olawande made this clarification hours after media reports interpreted remarks he made during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief as confirmation that Adire had been adopted as the new NYSC uniform.
According to a statement posted on his official social media page on Thursday, he said, “My attention has been drawn to some media reports following my brief appearance earlier this morning on Channels TV regarding the ongoing reforms of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), particularly on the issue of the proposed uniform.
“For the avoidance of doubt, yes, I mentioned Adire during the discussion. I also mentioned Ankara. My intention was simply to cite examples of some of the proposals that have been put forward in the course of our consultations.
“It was not an announcement that any particular fabric has been adopted or approved to replace the current NYSC uniform.”
Speaking further on the ongoing reform, the minister said, “For the record, what we are considering are different options that tick all the right boxes in terms of professional outlook, a unique national identity, durability, functionality, cost-effectiveness, and the projection of national pride. No final decision has been taken on the fabric or design,” he stated.
Urging Nigerians not to allow discussions over the proposed uniform to distract them from the broader objectives of the NYSC reforms, he said the design are meant to improve employability, promote entrepreneurship, strengthen national integration, enhance service delivery and create a smoother transition from education to productive careers.
“While conversations around the uniform are understandable, they should not overshadow the far-reaching reforms aimed at empowering millions of Nigerian youths and positioning the NYSC as a stronger platform for national development,” he said.
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