CORPS MEMBERS CAN EFFECTIVELY SUCCEED  THROUGH SAED

By: Tolorunse Joseph Moyosoreoluwa


I was lying on my bunk in the hostel busy thinking on how to succeed as a youth corper when I saw my friend looking radiant and happy. From the look on his face, I could tell he was filled with joy. In order to satisfy my curiosity, I walked up to him and asked, why are you so happy today? Have your alawee been paid? Or you just won an extra meal ticket cause I know how often you complain about your food being too small whenever we go to the kitchen to get our daily meal. So he said, look at my feet, I was astonished when I looked at it because the leather sandal he wore was so perfect that I asked him the name of the designer who designed but to my greatest surprise he was the architect of that sandal and that was how I got my answer on how to succeed as a corps member, SAED was the answer!
With the increasing rate of unemployment in our country (Nigeria) the need for youth empowerment programme must be effectively and adequately introduced into our system.
Thousands of graduates are produced yearly by not only Nigerian universities but also foreign universities. However the NYSC scheme which was introduced in 1973, launched a self empowerment programme for all corps members known as SAED and the aim of this self discovery programme is to make all youths realise their skilled potentials and increase their competitive advantage in the already crowed labour market. Here comes the question, how can corps members effectively succeed through SAED? Looking at the meaning of SAED, Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, it's obvious that the main objective of this self empowerment programme is to make interested corps members employer of labour and not seekers of jobs. This scheme comprises of different skill trades like Cosmetology, Bead making, Shoe making, Fashion designing, Solar installation, ICT, Creative writing, Broadcasting and public speaking etc. which makes it easier and comfortable for corps members to choose and go into what they are good at or wish to be good at.
With SAED, corps members are not only made to change their mentality that they can't succeed without white collar job, but also to realize their hidden talents and natural abilities to make their dreams, visions and goals become to reality.

Tolorunse Joseph Moyosoreoluwa
Is a Corp member serving in Ilorin, member Creative Writing SAED, Kwara State.