The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has extended the service year of Ms. Rita Ushie, popularly known as Raye on Instagram, by two months following her viral criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the economic hardship in Nigeria.
Raye, who had just one month remaining in her mandatory service, drew national attention in March after posting a video in which she tearfully described the rising cost of living and the struggles of surviving on the NYSC allowance.
In the same video, she labelled the Tinubu administration as “terrible” and questioned what the government was doing to address the worsening economic crisis.
Following the video, Raye alleged that she received threatening calls from NYSC officials, warning her to delete the content and stop criticising the government. The incident sparked widespread outrage from civil rights groups and Nigerians, who accused the NYSC of attempting to suppress her freedom of expression.
She was initially summoned to the Eti-Osa Local Government office, but when she arrived with human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and legal representatives, the official who issued the summons was reportedly absent.
The matter resurfaced on Wednesday, June 18, when Raye was summoned again—this time to the NYSC orientation camp in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos—to appear before a disciplinary panel. According to Jonathan Ugbal, South-South Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, the process was riddled with delays and a lack of formal communication.
“Upon her arrival last Wednesday, without any official letter, she was told to return later. She eventually met with the officials, apologised for any perceived harm, but was later informed that her service year would be extended by two months,” Ugbal told CrossRiverWatch. “Her mother called me crying, saying Raye was in tears and emotionally distressed.”
The original video that triggered the controversy was posted on TikTok via her handle @talktoraye, where Raye spoke candidly about inflation, unaffordable food prices, and the general cost of living as a corps member in Lagos.
She expressed frustration, saying, “Why am I buying a crate of eggs for ₦6,500? I remember when it was ₦800. NEPA and security bills have doubled, transportation is outrageous, and even basic outings are unaffordable. Uber is ₦25,000!”
She added, “Lagos smells. The whole city stinks. What is the government doing about it? There’s nothing really beneficial about this NYSC scheme. The money we spend on transportation alone is more than what we earn.”
Raye insisted her intention was not political, but a cry for help. “If more Nigerians come out and speak up, maybe the government will be forced to change something,” she said. “Tinubu, you are a terrible person. What are you doing to fix this economy?”
Less than 24 hours after posting the video, Raye shared another clip showing her receiving multiple phone calls from NYSC officials, pressuring her to take the video down and stop speaking out.
The NYSC has not officially commented on the matter, but critics say the punishment is a clear attempt to silence dissent.
