The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has preferred a charge against the CEO of Kennis Music, Kenny Ogungbe, and the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, alleging a breach of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Act.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law, not only seeks the removal of the minister, but also calls for the nullification of NYSC certificates issued to Musawa and Ogungbe.
The association argues that the issuance of these certificates goes against the provisions of the NYSC Act Cap N84.LFN 2024.
The plaintiffs, identified as the Chairman, NBA-SPIDEL, John Aikpokpo-Martins, and Secretary, NBA-SPIDEL, Funmi Adeogun, have marked the suit FCH/ABJ/05/90/2024. The defendants include the Minister, Ogungbe, NYSC, and the Nigerian government.
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The heart of the matter revolves around the mobilization of Musawa and Ogungbe for the mandatory one-year national youth service after exceeding the age of 30, a move deemed unlawful, illegal, and unpatriotic by the NBA.
The association further alleges that the purported national service and certificates of service issued by the NYSC to the minister and Kennis Music’s Ogungbe are null and void.
Seeking legal redress, the plaintiffs are aiming for a declaration that, as per the NYSC Act, the defendants are not entitled to be engaged as employees by any employer without presenting their NYSC certificates. Moreover, they demand a declaration that Minister Hannatu Musawa is unfit to hold public office after allegedly violating the NYSC Act with impunity.
This lawsuit follows previous accusations by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria in August 2023, where Musawa was accused of serving as a minister while undergoing the mandatory NYSC scheme.
In a similar vein, Kenny Ogungbe, CEO Kennis Music, faced mixed reactions in October 2023 when he shared a photo in NYSC uniform, announcing the completion of NYSC at the age of 53.
