NYSC 2021 : Ace Corps member, Aanuoluwa Bags State Honour For Floating Pro ex-convicts initiative
A corps member,Aanuoluwa Balogun, has received the State Honour for her exemplary performance and good conduct during the service year .
The honour was bestowed on her by the Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi at the Passing-Out Parade of the 2021 Batch ‘B’ Steam 1 Corps Members held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday.
A total number of 1, 416 corps members in the batch successfully completed their service year with six of them winning state awards at the ceremony.
Corper Balogun ,a graduate of English Language from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife served with the Nigerian Union of journalists (NUJ) ,Ekiti State Council.
Responding, the apparently elated aanuoluwa remarked “See what the Lord has done!. Though it may look like everything happened so quickly, but within, were events that came with pains, happiness and hope.
” This day, I look back and I am much grateful for the resilient spirit and commitment I have put into this to work.
“As I was on my way to the venue today, I became so emotional because I couldn’t believe I had come come this far.” she said .
Recall that Aanuoluwa floated an initiative aimed at empowering ex-convicts and prevent all forms of stigmatization against them.
She lifted nomfewr 20 ex convicts in Ekiti State by equipping with working tools while others were given cash gifts to start up their businesses.
Some of the items were donated to the beneficiaries during one-day sensitisation programme tagged “Sensitisation of the Public Against Stigmatisation of the Ex-Convicts,” in Ado-Ekiti, on Wednesday organised by the corps member .
The programme, which is Balogun’s Personal Community Development Service, CDS, project in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC was graced by critical stakeholders in the social reform sectors in the State.
Amongst the items donated included, Plumbing tools, Painting tools and Barbing tools.
The event which was in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Ekiti State Directorate, had paper presentations on the theme: “The Prevention of Recividism and Social Reintegration of Ex-convicts” by CC, J.O Ojo, Comptroller, Ado-Ekiti Custodial Centre, Dr Bukola Ajayi, Clinical Psychologist, Ekiti State University and Barrister Tosin Ayo, Principal Partner, Castles and Temples.
In her opening speech, Miss Balogun described the programme as the realisation of her life-long dream of reforming and rehabilitating the ex convicts in our society by halting the needless rejection and stigmatisation.
Specifically, Bslogun who disclosed that the project is to rehabilitate, reform and reintegrate the ex-convicts, while also the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders to map out programmes towards their proper reintegration into the society.
The corps member, who currently serving with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ),Ekiti State Council explained her passion was borne out of psychological challenges ,some ex-convicts usually faced when they are released from correctional centre into the society.
In his speech, Governor Fayemi , represented by his Deputy said assured that his administration would continue to assist the NYSC to succeed within the limits of its resources lauding the scheme for its support in the growth of some sectors in the state.
The state’s number one citizen urged the successful corps members not to see their passing out from the scheme as the end of their service to their country but to see it as the commencement of.higher service to their fatherland.
He enjoined the departing corps members to see what they could do to reposition Nigeria for peace, progress, stability and democracy urging them to join hands with government at all levels to build a strong and cohesive country as envisaged by NYSC founding fathers.
He said: “Worthy of mentioning also is your contribution to the success recorder in the last gubernatorial election held on the 18th of June, 2022 which has once again placed Ekiti State as one of the safest and most peaceful places to live in Nigeria.
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