Will the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) wield its mighty stick on multi award-winning singer, David Adeleke, better known as Davido, by extending his service year by 90 days for participating in politics?
There’s no gainsaying that a lot of “learned” Nigerians will be pondering over this question and will curiously seek answers to it.
Hello NYSC DG.
Give DAVIDO ten years extension. pic.twitter.com/oYpDUZ9qzS
— Parosident Buhari (@TheMbuhari) September 23, 2018
The curiosity may have stemmed from what is clearly written in the revised NYSC bye-laws, in section 4, which state that a Corps member is not supposed to take part in partisan politics.
The section also stipulates that any member who takes part in partisan politics is liable to extension of service for a period not less than three (3) months without pay.
But the prominent singer has broken some of the NYSC bye-laws and this has led to many questioning the double standard being displayed by the Scheme, knowing well that if these acts were flouted by an ordinary Nigerian, the Scheme wont temper justice with mercy.
On Thursday, August 30, the superstar singer was among the 2,152 Batch “B”, Stream 2 corps members sworn-in at the Lagos State NYSC Orientation Camp, Ipaja and his presence surely caused pandemonium.
Barely 24 hours later, Davido left the mandatory three-week orientation exercise and travelled to Boston, USA for his tour – a deed that naturally wont go down well with the Scheme if it was an average Nigerian.
While his colleagues were struggling to cope with the various yet difficult training sessions in camp, OBO was busy thrilling fans in the United States.
Apparently peeved by this, Shomoye Adeboye, a social media commentator, said he has written an open letter to the DG of the Scheme, notifying him of the double standard demonstrated by NYSC officials.
Many Nigerians also expressed divergent views as to whether the “IF” crooner has flouted the by-laws guiding the NYSC scheme with his travel.
Meanwhile, findings showed that the singer may have already broken Rule 15 (i) and (ii) of the NYSC camp rules when he arrived the campground, because Davido landed the Camp in chauffeur driven in a conspicuously white car amidst fanfair and jubilation by his fellow corps members and officials.
The law states, “Any member who brings vehicles or motorcycles to camp shall not be registered, and if already registered, shall be decamped. Such member shall only be allowed to return to service to join the next batch in the orientation camp.”
Also, excerpts from the NYSC bye-laws revised in 1993 give strict rules for corps members during the orientation period.
According to Schedule 1:3b:
“During the period of orientation, every member shall:
Not leave the Orientation Camp or absent himself from any official activity without the written consent of the State Director or his representative;
Also, Schedule 2:1b states that:
“The following penalties shall be imposed in the following circumstances.
“Leaving the camp without permission of the State Director” will attract “extension of the service year by double the number of days for which the member was absent from his camp and forfeiture of his allowance for the same number of days of which he was absent.”
Therefore, for Davido not to have flouted these laws, he must have secured ‘written consent’ from the state director of NYSC to leave the camp and travel for his foreign trips.
Back to what I was saying, after about two weeks of sterling performances in several states in the US, the singer canceled the remaining of the tour saying that:
“Due to scheduling conflicts and NYSC commitments in Nigeria, the remaining dates for the Davido Locked Up Tour has been cancelled.”
While it remains to be seen if he returned to complete the last week in camp, ever since his arrival from the US, Davido has been pre-occupied, campaigning for his Uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke, one of the top contenders for Osun state’s number one job.
IWO MY PEOPLE !!!! IMOLE DE @IsiakaAdeleke1 !! ! PDP RALLY !! FREE AND FAIR !! pic.twitter.com/5ZWAXYs1HA
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 17, 2018
The singer took the campaign to another level as he became the star attraction during Adeleke’s rally, leaving his trail in every parts of the state.
Osogbo Mega rally today !! @IsiakaAdeleke1 victory awaits You and the Beautiful People of the state of Osun ! pic.twitter.com/hKxmSeAaJW
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 19, 2018
The music star was also pictured donning a PDP regalia and he sure looks dapper in the Agbada.
IWO MY PEOPLE !!!! IMOLE DE @IsiakaAdeleke1 !! ! PDP RALLY !! FREE AND FAIR !! pic.twitter.com/5ZWAXYs1HA
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 17, 2018
You are a man of Integrity sir please do the right thing !! @MBuhari …. @inecnigeria@IsiakaAdeleke1 !! The People have spoken!!
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 23, 2018
Yesterday, the artist was also seen venting his chagrin on social media at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the results from Oshogbo local government in the Osun governorship polls.
And some Nigerians wont stop talking about what he has been doing in the past one month.
By the time this election is over NYSC will give Davido 3 months extension for stressing INEC. Crazy child..
— Bolouere (@boluxxxx) September 23, 2018
To those accusing @iam_Davido of flouting @nysc_ng rules, I ask you: Have you seen any of President @MBuhari’s children in NYSC uniform? Zahra @zmbuhari graduated. Did she serve? Yusuf the power bike rider, did he serve? Hypocrisy will kill Nigeria before corruption #RenosDarts
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) September 20, 2018
During our NYSC at Otukpo, we were warned NEVER to be partisan. Today, Davido is not only partisan but have absconded from service.
Imagine if he was campaigning for Buhari or APC, Secondus will petition U.N
— Okokobioko Master (@comradop) September 21, 2018
NYSC will extend Davido’s service year for involving in politics as a corper, and he’ll serve it in Osun Government house while operating from abroad studio
— Umeh and 99 others (@UmehOMA) September 23, 2018
While 360nobs learnt that efforts have been made to confirm if the NYSC would sanction the singer for breaking its bye-laws, it is understood that the Scheme did not respond as repeated calls were left unanswered.
Who’s we ? Ode ur alone .. worried about another mans life … stooooooooopid ! https://t.co/gfH5ocdAhp
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 21, 2018.
As of the time of writing this report, it remains to be seen if the NYSC would sanction the singer.
Comment your views below if you think Davido should be sanctioned.
