Reactions have started trailing the decamping of 2013 Batch A, female corps member, Ms Tolu Ekundayo, by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Ogun State for wearing skirt at the Shagamu orientation camp.
In a press conference organised by Ekundayo’s church, Faith Revival Apostolic Church, FRAC, in Lagos, the expelled corps member said she was asked to leave the camp at about 11.00pm on March 8, 2013 by the Ogun State NYSC Co-ordinator, for her refusal to put on trousers.
She explained that her refusal to wear trousers was not in disobedience to NYSC authorities but in line with her belief and faith in God.
Also speaking, Apostle Paul Adenuga condemned the manner in which Ekundayo was expelled from the camp in the dead of the night without considering her safety and called on the Director-General of NYSC and the federal government to look into the matter before it gets out of hand.
“I call on Nigerians, mostly Christians that stand for the truth, not only to jointly condemn this barbaric and bestial act but to engage in constructive dialogue with the concerned authority for the change of such policy if it is official.”
NYSC reacts
When contacted, the Ogun State NYSC Co-ordinator, Mrs T.I Anosike maintained that the Service did not expelled anybody. According to her, Ms Ekundayo opted to go instead of abiding by the rules and regulations of the scheme.
She said wearing anything outside approved NYSC kits during the orientation programme was not allowed in the camp. This she said was the reason why every corps member was made to signed undertaking on cultism and dress code.
“Nobody asked her to leave. She was asked to comply with the NYSC directives or leave. So she decided to leave. When she said that she won’t comply, we asked her to put it in writing which she did. So we didn’t expel her, she left on her own.”