From what I’ve seen and heard, NYSC members are supposed to get all this support on paper—like monthly payment (allawee), health coverage, and even safe housing. But man, the reality is usually way messier. My sister did her NYSC in a really rural place and said sometimes her pay came late and she just had to figure things out herself, because the government wasn’t actually checking if everyone was okay.

Safety is another problem. There’ve been lots of stories in the news about corpers facing serious dangers while posting or even on their way to their new states, and the government usually just gives a statement about being sorry. I think they mean well with the program, but it feels like they don’t follow through when things get tough. Most NYSC members I know kind of feel like they’re alone and have to depend on luck and help from other people, not the government. So yeah, it’s like the support is promised but not really delivered the way it should be.