Still on Shittu’s
Still on Shittu’s NYSC Saga and National
Assignment
By Olanrewaju Oyedeji
In recent times there has been news reports on the
non-participation of Minister of Communication, Barrister Shittu
Adebayo in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
scheme.
Notably enough, there has been various opinions on the legality
of the action, even as he has vehemently denied any wrong
doing.
While I am not in a position to absolve him completely of any
blame as I’m not a judge of a competent court, there are some
perspectives one should take good look at.
Recently, The Premium Times reminded President Muhammadu Buhari
on the need to act on the Shittu’s NYSC Saga.
Meanwhile, to prove his innocence, Shittu has gone to Court over
his non-mobilization by the board of NYSC.
Taking a serious look at the issues surrounding this argument ,
I can deduce two things, legality and morality.
The first argument is that Barrister Shittu is alleged to have
contravened the law by not serving.
The second argument is the morality of appointing a Minister who
didn’t serve the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and therefore
has no certificate of discharge.
Barrister Shittu was a member of the old Oyo State House of
Assembly at the age of 26, after completing his law school
examination at the age of 25.
It is necessary to ask the following questions: Did Barrister
Shittu ever claim to have served as a youth service corps member?
Did he forge any NYSC certificate or any other document of
discharge?
Does he lack competence as a lawmaker, a lawyer and even as a
current minister? Was he ever prosecuted and convicted for any
offence whether civil or criminal in nature? By the way , was
Barrister every mobilized for NYSC and he refused to obey the
mobilization order? Has he taken his argument which is strongly
believes in to court?
In as much as some persons argue that if he was not mobilized
for service, he should have made efforts towards mobilization, my
thoughts on this issue is that the Minister of Communication as a
lawyer believes that being a member of the House of Assembly at
such young age of 26 which did not avail him the opportunity to
serve is equivalent to serving, the law is subject to
interpretations.
Barrister Shittu apart from been a former member of the House of
Assembly in Oyo state has also been a onetime Oyo State
Commissioner for Information Culture in 1983, he also served in Oyo
state as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General during
Rasheed Ladoja’s administration.
Barrister Shittu also has attended several conferences and
represented Oyo state and Nigeria at different events and on
different occasions. Shittu Adebayo has also won different awards
in recognitions of his efforts and contributions to the nation.
While NYSC was reported to have claimed that serving in the
House of Assembly does not equate to National Youth Service Corps
but the question why did the scheme being silent on his case in the
last thirty years?
This puts into perspective our definition of sacrifice as a
nation.
When we exclude politics as a sacrifice to the nation, we are
giving room for justification of commercializing politics. The
question we should ask is if politics is a big sacrifice or only
being in uniform is seen as sacrifice. In most situation, we call
politicians ‘servants of the nation’ because we see them as those
rendering huge service to the country. One should ask if politics
is a service merely by its name or our laws recognize it as a true
service .
The argument of late is that a Minister should have a NYSC
certificate but if the reported court judgements in favor of Shittu
were anything to go by, should the supremacy of the law courts not
remain sacrosanct?
The case of Adeosun where she resigned has been used constantly
as a bait for Shittu’s case but what we fail to understand is that
Adeosun did not resign over NYSC Saga. She resigned because of the
shame of reported forgery, which is a criminal offence. she was a
victim of circumstances.
In Shittu’s case he didn’t obtain a NYSC discharge certificate.
Therefore, the case should open to argument in a competent court of
law.
If the Minister of Communication has decided to pursue his case
in court,he should be allowed to pursue it to logical
conclusion.
The court of law is in a better position to adjucate on this
contentious scenario.
Whether we like it or not the competence of Barrister Shittu as a
lawyer cannot be over-emphasized.
However he cannot be a judge in his own case which is why he
decided to approach a court of law for interpretation to determine
this case.
The court should be allowed to determine this case. Trying to
turn public sympathy against him as well as putting him through
media trial doesn’t follow the ethics of the reason why the case
was brought open.
This issue is peculiar and brings to the fore several issues
regarding the National Youth Service Corps scheme and brings forth
the question, is Political appointment is a national sacrifice that
should be considered in lieu of NYSC certificatee.
We need to sit and refine our laws to suit the present day
realities even in tandem with laws of the olden days.
In conclusion, While this is not to predict the court judgement
on Shittu as innocent, the furore that greeted his case should be
left to court to interpret.
Olanrewaju Oyedeji is an Intern with PRNigeria, Abuja.