NYSC UNIFORM AMENDMENT BILL – RELIGIOUS FANATICISM

Ideal Olive gathered from local reports that the Senate has rejected a bill proposing the option of wearing of skirts or hijab by female members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The bill which was sponsored by Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP-Taraba) is intended to amend Sections 13 and 16 of the Principal Act. He said the bill is to ensure that regulations made by the NYSC Directorate prescribing uniforms and exercise regimen did not violate the religious practices and beliefs of corps members. He said the objective of the bill was to also increase the penalty for the offences contained in the Act, to make such fines reflect the present value of the Naira.

According to our source, Bwacha noted that Uniforms and drills adopted by the Directorate have become a basis for tension and controversy between the Directorate and corps members and other members of the public. The major bone of contention being that some of the uniforms and drills contravene religious beliefs and practices of corps members and invariably their right to freedom of religion, thought and conscience under the Nigerian Constitution. This bill therefore addresses the above mentioned lapses in the Principal Act, he said.

During my Youth Service at Asaya Camp, Kogi State, as a naïve Christian, I contemplated whether it is proper to put on NYSC Uniform or not. The first morning before collecting my uniform, I was jugging uncomfortably with skirt. As I was jugging, I was deep in thought; asking God questions.  God did not say “My daughter I encourage you to put on the uniform or not to put it on”. God only took my senses through the bible to all the places where he referred to women as maiden, daughters, etc, and where he referred to men as lad, sons, etc. He finally drew my attention to where he referred to everyone as man. Before I could assimilate that, I heard the voice of a camp commandant saying “In this camp, there is no sex difference as everyone is a man. After this, I did not need a prophet to tell me “thus says the lord”. Even though they treated females as females in the camp, the fact is that they regarded everyone as male.

We create unnecessary difficulties for ourselves most times. There are dressing codes for different occasions. In Nigeria for example, some professions like doctors, nurses, engineers, police men and women, military personnel, etc. have their uniforms. Sportsmen and women have their attire. Women on exercise don’t go about their exercises wearing skirt. How will Muslim sports women feel doing their sports wearing hijab?

I don’t know why we like punishing ourselves or enslaving ourselves when God Himself has set us free. If we are the ones that made those religious laws I think we can come to our senses and free ourselves from it because I know that God did not make them for us. What we have failed to do as women is to respect the dressing codes and dress modestly. We should know when to put on the wears to suit the seasons and they should be for good reasons.

NYSC comes with lots of exciting activities like mountaineering, bridge crossing, long distance trekking, etc., and they are not what ladies can undertake wearing skirt of hijab. Moreover, the beauty of NYSC is partly in its uniform. Ideal Olive commends the senate for rejecting the bill.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi
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