DG NYSC celebrates Corps members’ birthdays in Borno with warmth and hope
By: Zagazola Makama
In the heart of a region once defined by conflict and resilience, something profoundly human unfolded on Sunday at the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Mustafa Umar Al-Kadhimi Arabic Teachers College, Maiduguri.
It was a simple celebration with birthday cake, a heartfelt song, a few tears but it carried the weight of renewed hope and a message that resonated far beyond the camp gates.
Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), broke protocol and expectations when he joined corps members in Borno State to celebrate the birthdays of two young Nigerians currently undergoing orientation in the 2025 Batch A Stream I.
For many in the camp, the presence of the DG alone was enough to stir excitement. But when he cheered the ground with music and dance then stepped forward, called the birthday celebrants by their name, and personally handed them cake, emotions surged. The young corps members, stood speechless, eyes glistening, visibly overwhelmed.
“I never imagined that someone like the DG would celebrate my birthday, especially in a place like Borno,” said one of the celebrants, one, as her voice cracked with emotion. “This is not just a birthday for me. It is a memory I will carry for life.”
For the other celebrant, she said the day meant more than just cake and song.
“Today, I felt seen. I felt valued. This is the first birthday I’ve celebrated away from home, and I never thought it would be this beautiful,” she said.
The NYSC boss, visibly moved himself, shared warm words with the celebrants and their fellow corps members and took photographs with them. He spoke not just as a military leader, but as a father figure, gently reminding them of their purpose and the nation’s faith in their service.
In a region where security challenges have often cast a long shadow over everyday life, the DG’s gesture became a symbolic act of light a reaffirmation that life, joy, and unity persist.
Camp officials and NYSC staff joined in singing birthday songs as the DG and the Borno State Coordinator, Mallam Nasir Bello, led a brief but heartfelt cutting of the cakes. There was laughter, applause, and quiet moments of reflection.
Brig.-Gen. Nafiu concluded the moment by encouraging all corps members to serve with dignity, unity, and resilience. He reminded them that every Nigerian, regardless of state or tribe, carries the seed of greatness and that service, especially in challenging terrains, is the bedrock of national healing.
