Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, alongside music promoter Kenny Ogungbe, is facing heightened scrutiny, with the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law formally submitting a court petition citing purported violations of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act.
The NBA has taken a stance calling for Musawa’s removal from her ministerial post based on the aforementioned allegations.
In a comprehensive legal petition, the NBA urged the court to compel the NYSC to nullify the certificates issued to both Musawa and Kenny Ogungbe, contending that the issuance of these certificates runs afoul of the provisions outlined in the NYSC Act Cap N84.LFN 2024.
The legal action, registered as FCH/ABJ/05/90/2024, involves John Aikpokpo-Martins, Chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, and Funmi Adeogun, Secretary of NBA-SPIDEL, as the principal litigants. The defendants implicated in the lawsuit encompass Hannatu Musawa, Kenny Ogungbe, NYSC, and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
At the heart of the plaintiffs’ argument is the assertion that the mobilization of Musawa and Ogungbe for the mandatory one-year national youth service, subsequent to exceeding the age of 30, is characterized as both unlawful and illegal, contradicting fundamental patriotic principles.
Additionally, the plaintiffs contend that the national service and certificates of service attributed to Musawa and Ogungbe by the NYSC are rendered null and void, forming a crucial aspect of their legal stance.
What we know
- The legal proceedings aim to assert that, under the stipulations outlined in Sections 2(1), 12(1), and 13(1) of the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap. N84 LFN 2004, the first and second defendants lack entitlement to employment engagement with any employer, including the Federal Government of Nigeria, unless they first possess and present their National Youth Service certificates.
- As per the plaintiffs’ contentions, Musawa is deemed ineligible to retain the position of Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any public office within the country, purportedly due to her infringement of the provisions of the NYSC Act.
This development follows previous accusations made by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria in August 2023, highlighting Musawa’s purported service as a minister during her participation in the NYSC scheme. Subsequently, this ignited a contentious debate on various social media platforms, with Nigerians expressing their discontent with the government’s handling of the matter.
Similarly, in October 2023, Kenny Ogungbe stirred controversy on social media by sharing an image donned in NYSC regalia, announcing the completion of the NYSC program. Kenny Ogungbe is 53 years old while, Musawa is 50 years old
