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The National Orientation Agency has called on all Nigerians to embrace the newly approved national anthem to promote unity among the country’s citizens.
The Director General of the NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, made the call in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Thursday during a press conference organised to launch sensitisation campaigns on the new National Anthem and National Values Charter, which will be held across the 13 Local Government
Areas of the state.
He urged all Nigerians to practise the new national anthem and National Values Charter as a demonstration of their patriotism and love for the country.
Issa-Onilu, who was represented at the event by the Director of Accounts and Finance at the agency’s national headquarters, Haruna Sule, explained that the federal government approved the new national anthem to give hope to the citizens for a greater and more developed country in the near future.
He added, “The Federal Executive Council recently approved that the first stanza of the national anthem should be rendered at all official functions, while the three stanzas should be reserved for special occasions such as Independence Day, Democracy Day, Workers’ Day, and the inauguration of the National Assembly, among others.”
Speaking on the current difficulties being faced by citizens due to the removal of the petroleum subsidy, Issa-Onilu explained that the federal government had introduced several palliative measures to mitigate the effects of rising prices of goods and other commodities in the country.
He highlighted the federal government’s efforts to reduce citizens’ hardship, including N155 billion for food security initiatives, N50 billion in conditional grant support for nano businesses, and conditional cash transfers of N25,000 to 15 million vulnerable households, among other measures.
“This government is aware of the challenges being faced by the people, which is why you see a lot of policies being implemented to address them. Nigerians should be assured that very soon, there will be light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
On her part, the Nasarawa State Director of the NOA, Priscilla Gondoalour, said the purpose of the press conference was to sensitise residents of Nasarawa State and Nigerians in general on the significance of the national anthem and the National Values Charter. She noted that this initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of “building Nigerians to build Nigeria.”
She highlighted the significance of the national anthem in Nigeria, including its role as a symbol of national unity, its historical significance, its cultural and social impact, its ability to inspire patriotism, and its role in bridging generations through themes of unity, peace, and justice in “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”
“Going forward, the NOA in Nasarawa State will hold stakeholder engagements, town hall meetings, media appearances, visits to tertiary and secondary institutions, places of worship, roadshows, social media campaigns, and visits to community development associations at both the state and local government levels.
“In all these efforts, citizens will be enlightened on specific government policies and programmes, with opportunities to engage through questions and answers, as well as make their contributions towards nation-building,” she added.
