The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has reassured of its commitment to the national identity project of sensitising Nigerians on the National Value Charter and the new National Anthem aimed at building a better Nigeria.
The agency is championing the National Identity Project, along with the ongoing programmes of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and the bold policies and initiatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Director General of NOA, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu stated this in Ibadan, Oyo state at a town hall meeting on National Identity Project.
Malam Issa-Onilu said that the focus is on values, the core principles that bind us together as Nigerians and define who we are as a nation.
“National identity is about embracing values such as integrity, hard work, discipline, patriotism, and respect for diversity”, he said.
He said his agency was galvanising partnerships and institutional collaborations in its new strategies in sensitizing Nigerians on the National Value Charter and the new National Anthem.
Malam Issa-Onilu commended the Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OYMASED), describing it as a “valued partner in our shared goal of fostering national development through engagement and mobilisation”.
The DG, represented by the Director of Ethics and Values, Mrs. Adeola Adelaja, supported by the State Director, Dr. Mrs Olukemi Afolayan, said the values are the foundation upon which the society must be built, and this is where the National Identity Project seeks to make a lasting impact.
According to him, at its heart, the project is about fostering a sense of responsibility, unity, and shared purpose among all Nigerians.
He said, “It reminds us that national identity is not a piece of documentation but a reflection of how we conduct ourselves daily as citizens”.
He said NOA has made substantial progress in its mission to re-engineer the national mindset through value orientation and attitudinal change campaigns.
Mallam Issa-Onilu had said the National Values Charter encapsulated in the acronym, the 7 for 7 was a set of seven reciprocal commitments between the country and the citizens.
According to him, ”It is here that I introduce the “7 for 7 promises” which stand as a testament to the mutual commitment between the government and the citizens. This initiative underscores the social contract we hold, where both the government and the citizens have responsibilities to fulfill in order to achieve national development”.
He commended the administration of President Bola Tinubu for supporting the agency to deliver on its mandates, saying that all the memos in respect of the National Values Charter and the new National Anthem had been approved by the Federal Executive Council.
“As we move forward with the National Identity Project and other national programmes, let us not lose sight of the bigger picture, the need to build a nation grounded in values that uplift us all. Our identity as Nigerians goes beyond our documents; it is the reflection of who we are in our hearts, our homes, and our actions”, he said.
The Chairman of the event, and Director-General, OYMASED, Dr. Morohunkola Thomas expressed happiness with the laudable initiatives of agency, saying that Oyo State Government will key into the National Values Charter which will help in restoring the lost cherished values as well as the image of the state and the country.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Law Enforcement Agencies, Religious bodies, civil agencies among others.
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