NYSC, ACOE Deepen Relations to Promote National Unity, Media Cooperation, and Service.
By Raymond Enoch
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the media as a vital partner in promoting national unity, empowering young people, and ensuring accurate reportage of its activities. This resolve was reiterated during a courtesy visit by the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.
In his welcome remarks, the NYSC Director-General, represented by the Director of Media, Mr. Emeka Rems Mgbemena, highlighted the central role of strategic communication in advancing the scheme’s mandate. He noted that the NYSC operates a television station, radio platform, and quarterly publications, and that many of its media personnel are members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). According to him, constructive engagement and honest feedback from journalists are indispensable for institutional growth and public trust.
Mr. Mgbemena, who recalled the historical foundation of the scheme in Nigeria’s post-civil war nation-building efforts, described the NYSC as a “strategic national asset” designed to foster unity, promote cultural understanding, and empower young Nigerians. He explained that the scheme has evolved into a major platform for nurturing entrepreneurs and equipping corps members with practical skills that contribute to national economic development.
He urged the media to continue championing values that enhance national cohesion, while resisting divisive narratives and stereotypes. He further assured that the NYSC leadership, under the Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, remains media-friendly, accessible, and firmly committed to transparency and accountability.
Also speaking, the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Caroline Embu, appealed to journalists to always verify information about the scheme before publication. She stressed that balanced and responsible reporting is critical to safeguarding the credibility of the NYSC and curbing misinformation. Mrs. Embu pledged that the Corps would maintain an open-door policy and continue to strengthen communication channels with media organisations.
Earlier, the Chairman of ACOE, Comrade Sola Akingboye, expressed appreciation for the warm reception and reaffirmed the association’s desire to deepen its partnership with the NYSC. He described the visit as part of ACOE’s broader efforts to build stronger collaboration with institutions that make significant contributions to national development.
Akingboye commended the NYSC’s cardinal objectives of fostering national unity, cultural integration, discipline, and youth empowerment. He also praised the leadership of Brigadier General Nafiu for sustaining transparency, prioritising corps members’ welfare, and consolidating the scheme’s impact since assuming office in March.
Highlighting ACOE’s capacity to shape digital narratives, he called for a “mutually beneficial media relationship” that would amplify the Corps’ nation-building agenda across traditional and online platforms. He expressed confidence that the renewed partnership would further cement ties between both organisations and enhance public understanding of the NYSC’s role.
The visit ended with mutual assurances of sustained cooperation as both institutions pledged to work together toward shared objectives of youth development, national integration, and responsible journalism.
Senior NYSC management officials were in attendance, including the Director of Media, Mr. Emeka Rems Mgbemena; the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Caroline Embu; and other top officials of the scheme. The ACOE delegation comprised members of the investiture planning committee as well as executives of the association.
