A recently discharged member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Anaeto Maryann Ebere, has spoken out about the online harassment she faced after sharing her Passing-Out Parade (POP) photos on Facebook.
Maryann, who had joyfully posted her completion of the mandatory one-year national service, said her excitement was abruptly dampened when a male Facebook user sent her an unsolicited private message criticizing her posts.
According to her, the user dismissed her NYSC discharge certificate as “just an HND certificate,” insisting she had no reason to celebrate publicly and should stop posting her achievement online. The message sparked outrage among her friends and followers, who described the act as cyberbullying and an unnecessary attempt to ridicule her success.
Speaking on the incident, Maryann said she had every right to celebrate her journey, noting that completing NYSC is a milestone every graduate looks forward to.
“I didn’t expect someone to message me and try to shut me down. I only shared my joy. NYSC is not something easy; anyone who completes it deserves to celebrate,” she said.
Social media users have since condemned the harassment, stressing that the NYSC certificate—whether earned after university or polytechnic education—represents national service and should never be downplayed.
