Graduating students of the Department of Library and Information Science (LIS), Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, have petitioned the university management over their continued non-mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), more than a year after completing their academic programmes.
In an open petition addressed to the Vice-Chancellor through the Dean of Students’ Affairs, the affected graduates said they signed out of the university on August 26, 2025, but had yet to be mobilised for the mandatory national service.
The students expressed concern that while their colleagues from other departments and institutions had proceeded with NYSC and moved on to employment, further education and other opportunities, they remained uncertain about their future because their names had allegedly not been forwarded to NYSC for mobilisation.
They said the situation was particularly disturbing because the department had previously experienced uncertainty over the nomenclature and recognition of its programme, which was at different times referred to as Library and Information Studies and Library and Information Science.
According to the petitioners, they had expected that all institutional and regulatory issues concerning the programme would have been resolved before their graduation.
The students said they had, however, received information from an official at an NYSC office alleging that their degree was not presently recognised in the records used for mobilisation.
While stressing that they could not independently confirm the claim, the graduates said it had raised serious concerns over how students admitted, trained, examined and graduated by the university could subsequently face an alleged recognition problem with the agency responsible for national service mobilisation.
The petitioners said the delay was already having serious consequences, including the loss or risk of losing scholarship opportunities and other programmes with age or NYSC-related requirements.
They maintained that they should not be made to bear the consequences of any administrative, institutional or regulatory issues beyond their control after successfully completing their academic programmes.
The students consequently demanded an official explanation from the university management on the cause of the delay and clarification of the status of the LIS degree with NYSC.
They also called on the university to immediately engage NYSC and other relevant regulatory authorities to resolve any outstanding issues, ensure that all eligible LIS graduates are captured for mobilisation and provide them with a definite timeline for resolving the matter.
The graduates further urged the university to address circumstances that may have caused affected students to lose valuable opportunities, including scholarships and graduate programmes with strict age or NYSC requirements.
The petitioners stressed that they were not seeking preferential treatment but clarity, accountability and an urgent resolution to a situation they said had left them in uncertainty since their graduation.
They warned that continued delay could result in permanent loss of career, educational and financial opportunities, urging the university management to act swiftly.
“We have graduated, but unfortunately, we have not been given a clear direction on what comes next,” the students said, urging the institution to demonstrate commitment to their welfare beyond their academic programme.
The petition was signed collectively by the affected graduating students of the Department of Library and Information Science.
