In its bid to re-orientating Nigeria citizens on national anthem and national values charter, the Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu has charged Nigerians to uphold the country’s values and act as positive ambassadors wherever they are, both at home and abroad.
Mallam Issa-Onilu made this known at the sensitization program on national anthem and national values charter, held today Tuesday at the conference hall, Ministry of Education, Ado-Ekiti.
The NOA Director General, represented by the National Director Political and Civic Education Ethic and Value Orientation, Mrs Adelaja Adeola, said the re-orientation program is aimed at shaping the attitudinal structure of Nigerians towards the national identities.
Mrs Adelaja said the problems besetting the country lies mostly among the citizen and not the government alone.
She added that both the older and younger generation must be properly oriented and therefore value orientation will be included in schools curriculum for students at various levels of learning.
In his address, the NOA Director, Ekiti State, Mr. Adeyemi Akinola, outlined new guidelines for the national anthem, emphasizing that only the first stanza should be recited at official functions, with the last stanza serving as the national prayer.
He said the three stanzas will be recited on special occasions like Independence Day and Democracy Day, Inauguration of the National Assembly, Children’s Day, Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Workers Day.
Speaking at the sensitization program is the Olufaki of Ifaki, Oba Adegbenro Falore, who said re-orientation is needed and he is happy to see young pupils from different schools in attendance of the program.
Oba Adegbenro echoed the importance of positive representation, urging Nigerians to embody good character and act as role models wherever they go.
Also speaking is the representative of the Ekiti state Commissioner of Police, ACP Edwin Igoche, who stressed that it is a collective responsibility of every Nigerian to ensure that the country is respected both home and abroad.
Also in attendance were the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps Commandant, who was represented by ACP Olowoshejeje Felix, said the theme of the program is meticulously chosen noting that the society is filled with crimes because the country’s core values has been bastardized.
ACP Olowoshejeje urged Nigerians to let the words in the embedded in the national anthem reflect in their behaviors and not only sing to the rhythms of it alone.
Dignitaries present at the sensitization program include; the Ekiti State Commissioner for Education, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mike Omolayo, ACI Akinrinmade from Immigration Service and the Chairman IPAC, Honorable Owoola Daramola.
Others include; Peace Corps, WAI Brigade, representatives from the Igbo and Hausa communities, representatives from Muslims and Christian groups, Iyaloja General, Corps Members and students from different schools in Ado-Ekiti.
