Kaduna, Oct. 16, 2024 (TheGavel) — The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on Nigerians to embrace President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the agency’s National Values Charter (NVC). This appeal was made during a town hall meeting focused on the new national anthem and the NVC, held on Wednesday.
Hamisu Mayere, the Kaduna State Director of NOA, emphasized the need for collective effort in fostering positive change in Nigeria. “For Nigeria to move forward, all hands must be on deck as ambassadors of ensuring that the right thing is done at all times,” he stated.
Mayere highlighted the recent reversion to Nigeria’s first National Anthem, which was reintroduced following a bill passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Tinubu on May 29. He described the national anthem as one of the nation’s most significant symbols and urged citizens to cherish it.
“It serves as a symbol of authority and unification of our people. We therefore call on all citizens to imbibe and cherish it as an article of faith,” Mayere said, stressing the importance of national identity. “As patriotic Nigerians, we should know that we don’t have any other place we can call ours except Nigeria. All efforts must be geared towards building our nation with positive values that will enable us to be counted among the best in the world.”
Discussing the objectives of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Mayere explained that the recently launched NVC aims to steer the country toward growth and development. He noted the significance of values, principles, beliefs, and ideologies in shaping both individuals and the nation. “Individuals must have their values, beliefs, and principles that define their identity; without these, time is unguarded and lost,” he stated.
The National Identity Project, according to Mayere, is essential in redirecting Nigerians toward the traditional ideals and values that have historically defined the nation. He introduced the NVC’s ‘7 for 7 initiative,’ which outlines the patriotic obligations between the country and its citizens, aiming to instill responsibility and commitment to national development.
The initiatives under this charter include security and safety, justice and equity, economic opportunities, quality education, healthcare access, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability. “The content of the charter should be the values that will guide all Nigerians, both leaders and followers, in their daily lives, whether in private or public,” Mayere emphasized.
Earlier in the meeting, NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by Faith Idojerie, underscored the importance of the new national anthem, value orientation, and the need for attitudinal change among Nigerians. He stressed that the correct lyrics of the anthem, as approved by President Tinubu, are vital for maintaining Nigeria’s integrity and fostering patriotism and national pride.
The town hall meeting aimed to fulfill the president’s directive for the agency to educate Nigerians on building the country through sensitization and reorientation campaigns. Participants included religious and traditional leaders, academia, women and youth groups, NYSC representatives, and civil society organizations.
Stakeholders expressed concern over the alarming decline in patriotism among young Nigerians, calling for urgent measures to address this issue. They underscored the need for value reorientation and attitudinal change to promote national pride and integrity, pledging support for NOA’s initiatives to promote the National Values Charter.(NAN)
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