'Youths obey the clarion call': Get familiar with the NYSC anthem

Are you a prospective corp member or on your way towards becoming one? Are you a current corp member who has been incorrectly chanting the scheme’s anthem for some time now? Do you wish to learn the lyrics to the NYSC anthem? Do you anticipate being asked to recite the anthem during an interview to ascertain if you truly did the one-year national service?

Well, if you fit into any of the aforementioned categories, it may be wise to know what and start learning the lyrics of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) anthem.

But before you start singing…

Table of Content hide

1 What is the NYSC anthem?

2 NYSC anthem composer

What is the NYSC anthem?

The NYSC anthem is a song that is sung by the corps members sing throughout their one-year mandatory service in Nigeria. The corps members, colloquially referred to as corpers, are taught the anthem during their three-week orientation camp exercise and they subsequently chant it at NYSC events/occasions throughout the one year.

The NYSC anthem comprises three (3) stanzas but only the first stanza —stanza 1— is sung continuously by corp members throughout the NYSC orientation camp and their service year. The national anthem and the NYSC anthem are always sung at the beginning of the parade at the orientation camp, which occurs at dawn.

In light of the foregoing, you have the option of memorizing all three (3) stanzas of the national anthem or only the most crucial stanza, which is sung. You never know when they can come in handy.

ALSO READ: Top 10 NYSC orientation camps

NYSC anthem composer

A nationwide audition for the NYSC anthem was done in 1983. The competition was won by the Oyo anthem group in 1984. The NYSC anthem lyrics were written by Oluwole Adetiran, while the song/music was composed by Frederick Nwosu. Both individuals were members of the NYSC Choir during their youth service.

Adetiran was born on 8 September 1948 in Igbajo, situated in present-day Osun State. He attended Baptist Day School, Igbajo. He also enrolled at the Baptist Teacher Training College, Ibadan. He studied Music at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He taught music at the Polytechnic in Ibadan, where he eventually progressed to become the department’s head from 2003 to 2007, before retiring in 2008. He also served as the Celestial Church of Christ’s national music director

Adetiran died on 6 May 2022 at the age of 74.

On the other hand, Nwosu served as a lecturer at the Oyo State College of Education during his service year. He is currently a professor and President of the International Institute for African Scholars, a body whose headquarters is situated in the United States.