According to the NYSC Act, CAP N84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, Nigerians who graduated overseas have to go through the national service, no matter their present age, if they graduated before 30.
Some overseas graduates have been returning to the country to undergo the National Youth Service Corps, despite being above 30.
Two of the corps members, who are in their 60s and based in the United States, Louis Ebodaghe and Olusegun Abebe, passed out with the 2019 Batches A and B respectively.
It was learnt that they both served in Abuja, where they were involved in some community development service projects, including the donation of 25 stethoscopes to the Gwarimpa General Hospital.
Abebe, 60, who obtained his first degree in International Affairs from the University of Wisconsin in 1983, told our correspondent that his age was a huge advantage during the service year.
He said,
“Although I participated in the scheme at a time when I could be a father to most of the corps members, my age was a huge advantage to me. Nobody molested me; I was well respected. When I returned to the country, there was no exemption for me because I got my degree before the age of 30 years. So I was told I had to serve.
Our correspondent learnt that the other sexagenarian, Ebodaghe, had his first degree in Microbiology and Medical Technology in North Dakota University and graduated in 1983. However, efforts to speak with him were not successful as of the time of filing this report.
According to the NYSC Act, CAP N84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, Nigerians who graduated overseas have to go through the national service, no matter their present age, if they graduated before 30.
The NYSC Act expects elderly Nigerians, like Abebe and Ebodaghe, to present themselves for the national service or risk a one-year jail term as stipulated in the act.
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