By Edward Oseghe and Chidinma Kalu
The Edo State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and Founder of the Florish Foundation for Women and Youths, Dr. Frances Ifeoma Ben-Ushie, has called on corps members to rise as frontrunners of positive change by serving with vision, courage, passion, and integrity.
Dr. Ben-Ushie gave the charge on Wednesday while delivering a keynote address at a one-day capacity-building workshop for Corps Liaison Officers (CLOs) and Community Development Service (CDS) Leaders, held at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) in Benin City.
The workshop, organised by the NYSC Edo State Secretariat in partnership with the Florish Foundation, was themed “Youth Civic Engagement and National Re-orientation: Empowering CDS Leaders as Frontrunners of Change.” It was aimed at equipping corps leaders across Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba-Okha local government areas with the skills to drive impactful community projects.
Highlighting the role of youth in national development, the NYSC Coordinator stressed that Nigeria’s strength lies not only in the population of its young people but also in their clarity of vision, civic participation, and commitment to re-orientation.
“Civic engagement is the lifeblood of democracy. For corps members, it means going beyond mandatory service to become true change agents—whether by teaching with passion, leading health outreaches, promoting digital literacy, or instilling the values of unity, integrity, and service,” Dr. Ben-Ushie said.
She urged corps leaders to anchor their service on four principles—Vision, Innovation, Synergy, and Legacy—adding that they should strive to implement projects that would remain relevant long after their service year.
Delivering a lecture titled “Understanding the NYSC and the Roles of CDS in Community Transformation”, Dr. Ben-Ushie explained that through CDS activities, corps members transcend their role as temporary residents in host communities to become agents of sustainable transformation. She further noted that the training was designed to strengthen leadership capacity, foster collaboration, and ensure the execution of projects with long-term impact.
The Coordinator also appealed to stakeholders, non-governmental organisations, philanthropists, and government agencies to partner with CDS groups in areas such as health, education, infrastructure, financial inclusion, and digital empowerment.
“With stronger partnerships, the impact of corps members in their host communities can be multiplied,” she stressed.
Other facilitators at the workshop included Waheed Ozeto, NYSC Edo Service Innovation Officer, who spoke on “Innovation and Collaboration in Community Development Service.” He emphasised self-discipline, teamwork, and creative problem-solving as the foundations of leadership and sustainable community impact.
In another session, Pastor Funso Akin-Ojo, Director of PF Academy, lectured on “Living a Legacy in Your Host Community.” He urged corps members to think generationally, noting that true leadership is measured not by what one achieves today but by what others can continue to build upon in the future.
Delivering a goodwill message, Mr. Oisakede Edoki, Director of Humanitarian Affairs at the Federal Ministry of Youth and Humanitarian Affairs, lauded the collaboration between NYSC and the Florish Foundation. He encouraged corps leaders to apply the lessons learned, stressing that Nigeria’s progress depends heavily on the ability of its young people to innovate, lead, and serve with selflessness.
The workshop concluded with interactive sessions that encouraged corps members to embrace vision, courage, and impact-driven leadership in their communities.
