NYSC Corper Pushed to Tears as She Calls Out Tinubu Government

The topic of whether Nigerians truly have freedom of speech has been put to the test over the past week when a Nigerian Youth Service Corps member (corper) in Lagos uploaded a video on TikTok expressing her grievances with the government and the frustrations Nigerian citizens are currently facing. 

Her four-minute video went viral quickly and grabbed the attention of both ordinary citizens and the government. Some say she has no right to speak about the government in such a derogatory manner and are even demanding she faces capital punishment. While some others are of the opinion that she has the right to freely speak her mind. 

Her video hadn’t even been out for a week when she released another video letting the masses know that NYSC was threatening her for speaking up. Her actions have sparked a trend on social media known as the ‘30 day rant’ involving Nigerian citizens freely speaking out against the harsh economic situation in the nation. From the looks of things, Nigeria seems to be at a critical point in her development. Could a four-minute video potentially spark national unrest? 

Keep reading as we unpack this trending story. 

What did Raye say in her Viral Video?  

The video kicked off with Raye, a Nigerian Corper, calling out President Tinubu’s government directly. She said to Tinubu, “You are such a terrible President”. She then went on to raise a number of issues that the Nigerian citizens are battling with. 

The first issue she raised is the ever-rising prices of foodstuffs. The current state of the nation is one where each time an individual visits the market, the food price seems to increase. According to a 2025 report by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, the cost of food in Nigeria increased 23.51% in February of 2025 compared to February 2024. This is a significant rise in just one year. A crate of eggs, as she mentioned, presently costs 6,500 naira while it cost 3,000 naira in 2024. The point Raye raised about this situation struck a chord with many as she asked if a time will ever come when prices will stop going up.

Another issue she raised was that of outrageous electricity bills. As of 2024, due to the sudden division of different parts of Nigeria into Band A, B, C, and D, the electricity tariff has not only increased, but now, inhabitants of Band A and B are left to pay higher electricity bills. Nigerian businesses are left to suffer as most of the profit they make are used to cover these exorbitant electricity tariffs amidst other bills. 

Transportation costs seem to be on the rise every month as fuel prices continually fluctuate. Raye complained about not having the luxury of simply taking an Uber to go out with her friends. Having easy access to the internet is another sudden battle Nigerians are left to grapple with because of the removal of incentives from mobile networks like MTN. These mobile networks, due to their incursion of operational costs and losses, can no longer make data plans available at cheaper rates and this has caused the price of data plans to rise dramatically. A 15GB data plan that one could acquire at the price of 2,000 naira is now offered at 6,000 naira. 

Raye drove her point home by bringing up the issue of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). NYSC was an initiative introduced in Nigeria as far back as 1973 by the Nigerian government as part of the post-civil war effort to promote national unity and integration. The purpose of the NYSC is to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building by posting them to different parts of the country with the aim of promoting national unity, reducing ethnic tensions, and helping develop the country. But the reality is, this scheme that was intended to build the nation is now a struggle for survival.

Is Raye Wrong for Voicing Her Opinion? 

Not long after her video went viral, Raye received a phone call from the NYSC Secretariat. Luckily, she was able to record the call as the woman on the other end of the line continuously insulted her and even told her, “Pull down that rubbish you put there” referring to the video she posted complaining about the government. This makes one wonder if Nigeria is really a country that claims to practice freedom of speech.

In my opinion, the purpose of NYSC seems to have been lost somewhere along the lines of its many years of existence. From subpar living conditions to rampant insecurity and a monthly pay of 33,000 naira that barely covers a week's worth of food, let alone basic needs like accommodation, transport, and medical expenses,  NYSC is far from ridding anyone of ethnic tension and promoting peace. 

Raye uploaded the video as a wake-up call to Nigerians to realize the government needs to be held accountable for its actions and inactions. Citizens of Nigeria are being subjected to intense suffering without a foreseeable end in sight. 

She said, ‘I wish we would start calling the government out heads on.’ In truth, Raye had every right to complain without her right to freedom of speech being infringed upon. Corps members, like many other young Nigerians, are being pushed into financial desperation and remaining in silence is the worst thing the Nigerian youth can do at this juncture. 

Instead of criticizing her, people should wake up to the reality that hundreds of thousands of Nigerian youth are feeling the weight of a failing economy. The government needs to stop ignoring these cries or trying to silence them but instead, take urgent action. Young people shouldn’t have to beg to afford basic necessities while serving their country. 

Share your thoughts on this issue, speak up, and don’t be afraid to demand accountability from the government, after all, they owe it to us.