Major General S. Ibrahim
Major General S. Ibrahim being decorated with new rank
By Uji Abdullahi Iliyasu
Abuja
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim, said the prayers of those he had touched in life ensures his success in his military career. He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Defence and Chief of Army Staff for findng him worthy to be appointed DG NYSC to showcase his potentials.
Ibrahim who stated these during a grand reception on his promotion to the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army on Thursday said his rise to the rank was not a surprise as he had neither missed any promotion nor lobbied for it for the past 28 years.
He said, “My principle in life is to touch our fellow human beings and if you cannot touch your fellow human beings, you are not fit to live and that is the principle I have lived for and that is the principle I will die for.
“All I have achieved in life is as a result of prayers of those that I have come across in life because as I touch one another they pray for me.
“Having gone through 28 years of service in the military, I have not missed promotion; my promotions do come as and when due and all these are as a result of this principle of hard work and commitment.”
While stressing the contribution of corp members to national development, the NYSC DG further reiterated the need for the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund to cater for their needs.
“We cannot thank them enough and that is why I use this oportunity to appeal to Federal Government, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and members of the National Assembly to please support the establishment of NYSC Trust Fund because when this is established, it is like reinvigorating the NYSC again,” he said.
During the event, which was attended by serving and retired military officers and traditional rulers, the governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, commended the NYSC for redefining the scheme.
Sule said Ibrahim had made Nasarawa state proud because of DG’s sterling leadership qualities and achievements.
He said, “Let me thank you for being a true Ambassador. How else can you be such a proud governor sitting to watch two Ambassadors who have redefined their various areas of endeavours?
“I was at one of the events recently where he launched nine books. We have no other person that should have been speaking about NYSC than General (Yakubu) Gowon and he speaks eloquently about how you redefined NYSC and I was sitting there as a very proud governor of your State because I came in, knowing what the various governors have said about you.”