The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, has commended the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu for the agency’s efforts in promoting initiatives that define Nigeria’s national identity and foster a culture of patriotism and shared national values.
Oyedele gave the commendation during a sensitisation and training workshop led by the NOA DG for staff of the Ministry on the promotion of Nigeria’s national symbols and the National Identity Project, held in Abuja.
The Minister announced that the Ministry will appoint ambassadors to champion the promotion of Nigeria’s national symbols within the Ministry and request relevant sensitisation materials from the NOA to educate staff members on the National Values Charter and what it entails.
Oyedele, who assured that the Ministry would partner with the NOA and support the Agency’s programmes and activities, also urged the Agency to engage the Ministry through continuous sensitisation, knowledge sharing, and public education on its initiatives.
In his presentation, the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, urged staff of the Federal Ministry of Finance to accord respect to Nigeria’s national symbols as a fundamental civic responsibility, stressing that patriotism and adherence to the National Values Charter are essential to Nigeria’s national identity.
According to Issa-Onilu, the National Orientation Agency is the custodian of Nigeria’s national symbols, and every Nigerian has a duty to respect them, understand their significance and ensure their proper use, as they embody the nation’s identity, unity and shared values.
Speaking on the National Identity Project, which is embodied by the National Values Charter, he explained that the Charter was introduced to address the gaps in the previous efforts to promote national identity by establishing a social contract that clearly defines the responsibilities of both the government and the citizens, to foster national unity and a shared sense of responsibility.
Highlighting the Agency’s activities towards entrenching the National Values Charter, Issa-Onilu said it has launched a global reputation management campaign for Nigeria, partnered with relevant organisations to promote cartoon content, collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Education to develop a national values-based curriculum for secondary schools rooted in the Charter, and is working with the National Universities Commission and other education regulatory bodies to design similar curricula for higher institutions, among other initiatives.
The Director General of the NOA took participants through the proper rendition of the National Anthem, the correct use of the Nigerian Flag, and the principles guiding the use of other National Symbols and the National Values Charter, with a view to deepening their understanding of national values, identity, and civic responsibility.
The NOA delegation included the Director of Media and Communications, Mallam Bala Musa, and the Director of Civic, Values and Democracy Education, Dr Olukemi Afolayan, while the Ministry of Finance was represented by members of its management team and other staff.
Written by Abiola Peters