The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law has called upon the court to dismiss the Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, from her position, alleging a breach of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act. The organization has also urged the court to mandate the NYSC to invalidate the certificates issued to Musawa and music promoter Kenny Ogungbe, contending that the issuance was in violation of the NYSC Act Cap N84.LFN 2024.
In a suit labeled FCH/ABJ/05/90/2024, the plaintiffs, John Aikpokpo-Martins (Chairman, NBA-SPIDEL), and Funmi Adeogun (Secretary, NBA-SPIDEL), named Musawa, Ogungbe, NYSC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria as the first to fourth defendants, respectively.
The plaintiffs argue that the mobilization of Musawa and Ogungbe for the mandatory one-year national youth service after exceeding 30 years of age was unlawful, illegal, and against the spirit of patriotism. They further assert that the national service and certificates of service issued by the NYSC to Musawa and Ogungbe are null and void.
The plaintiffs seek a declaration stating, “By virtue of the provisions of Sections 2(1), 12(1), and 13(1) of the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap. N84 LFN 2004, the 1st and 2nd defendants are not entitled to be engaged as employees by any employer of labor or services (including the Federal Government of Nigeria) without first possessing and presenting their certificates of National Youth Service.”
They also seek a declaration that “the 1st defendant is not entitled to continue to hold the exalted office of Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any public office in Nigeria after violently violating with flagrant impunity the provisions of Sections 2(1), 12(1), and 13(1) of the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap. N84, LFN 2004.”
In August 2023, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria accused Musawa of serving as a minister while undergoing the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme. Additionally, in October 2023, social media witnessed a stir when Ogungbe shared a photo of himself in the NYSC uniform, announcing the completion of NYSC at the age of 53.
Efforts to reach Musawa for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to her number indicated it was not reachable, and there was no response to the message sent to her at the time of this report.
