Nigerian pop star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, may be in for fresh troubles following the cancellation of his one-year compulsory NYSC scheme, SOCIETY REPORTERS reports.
The ‘Fall’ crooner said the scheme cancelled his service in a comment on Instagram.
The 26-year-old ace singer has come under fire lately for travelling out of the country when he is supposed to be at the Lagos camp observing the mandatory three weeks orientation period of the one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, thereby breaking the scheme’s by-laws.
The bye-laws of NYSC states the following conditions for corps members during orientation period.
It states that, “During the period of orientation, every member shall: (i) Attend regularly, punctually and participate fully in all official engagements on the field, at lecture and all places of work; (ii) Not leave the Orientation Camp or absent himself from any official activity without the written consent of the State Director or his representative; (iii) When absent from his duties on account of illness ensure that such absence is covered by an Excuse Duty Certificate issued by a medical doctor then on duty at the camp.”
The bye-laws however stipulates that “Leaving the camp without permission of the State Director” will attract “extension of the service year by double the number of days for which the member was absent from his camp and forfeiture of his allowance for the same number of days of which he was absent.”
However, just after his registration, Davido is said to have travelled out of the country to Boston for his ‘Locked Up’ U.S tour. This has, however, raised some arguments among Nigerians as to whether Davido was permitted to travel and or; whether or not he flouted the NYSC bye-laws. While some said he did flout the bye-laws, others said he did not.
Other NYSC by-laws violated by Davido include:
• Bringing vehicles into the orientation camp;
• Disclosing official information;
• Engaging in private practice;
• Taking part in partisan politics;
• Reporting late to duty;
• Traveling outside the country without the service’ permission, among others.
Our correspondent observed from his Instagram page that just after a few days in the camp, Davido travelled to Boston, Massachusetts, as he embarked on a tour of the United States.
He, therefore, violated the first law of the NYSC, which states that all corps members must participate in all activities in the camp.
It cannot be ascertained if he violated the second law, which states that corps members leaving the orientation camp should get written permission from the state coordinator; as he may have obtained that before jetting out of the country.
But the ‘Assurance’ crooner did not stop at Boston, as he continued globe-trotting, visiting Philadelphia, New York, Washington DC, Georgia, Minnesota, London, Sao Tome, Accra, Mayotte, Lebanon, UAE, among others.
Davido within the period was also actively involved in the electioneering of his uncle, Demola Adeleke, a gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State.
For weeks, the artiste shuttled between Lagos State, where he was based, and Osun State, where the election held.
But the NYSC law not only prohibited participation in partisan politics but said corps members should not leave their place of primary assignments without the permission of their state coordinators.
“Any member who takes part in partisan politics is liable to extension of service for a period not less than three months without pay,” Section 9 under the Miscellaneous Offences and Penalties, read.
Davido’s manager, Asa Asika, declined comment, saying he does not speak to the press.
However, the National Youth Service Corps says it has communicated with David Adeleke, over his activities during his service year.
The NYSC Director of Information, Adenike Adeyemi, however, did not say what punishment had been meted out on Davido, who has broken several NYSC bye-laws.
Reacting to a post made by Adesegun Adeosun, Nigerian music promoter better known as Smade who just finished his three-week NYSC orientation program, and got a letter of recommendation, Davido wrote “Naso dem cancel my own”.
Davido, a graduate of Music from Babcock University, had registered for NYSC in 2018 Batch ‘B’ stream II alongside corp members who were sworn in on August 30.
The NYSC programme is mandatory for all graduates to qualify for gainful employment in Nigeria.
Speaking on why he registered for the scheme, Davido said he was tying all loose ends.
“I am a youth and I am delighted to serve my fatherland,” he said at his swearing-in ceremony.
“NYSC is also a leadership development programme and since I will not remain a youth forever, I have to start preparing myself for the future.”