The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to refrain from making negative remarks about Nigeria.
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, made this appeal during a stakeholders’ meeting on the National Anthem, Identity Project, Values Charter, and Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, held on Tuesday in Osogbo.
Issa-Onilu emphasized that Nigerians should adopt a spirit of patriotism and demonstrate love for their country at all times.
“You must endure; we have no other country, and Nigeria is richly endowed with both human and material resources.
“We must never condemn, curse or speak evil about our country. Words have powers,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Director-General was represented by Mrs. Olubukola Olorunfemi, the agency’s Director of Report Coordination and Improvement.
Issa-Onilu explained that the agency has launched a nationwide sensitization campaign to encourage and mobilize citizens to adopt positive attitudes and behaviors that will foster unity in the country.
He also mentioned that 1,000 brigade members will be recruited from primary and secondary schools in each state to promote unity and togetherness among Nigerians.
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“At independence in 1960, we had all the attributes necessary to strengthen our journey to nationhood,” he noted.
However, the NOA chief pointed out that, over the years, these qualities and standards began to deteriorate, leading to the collapse of the culture, values, and norms that once united Nigerians, and the sense of nationhood was no longer being promoted.
Recognizing this, the president reinstated the old National Anthem, “Nigeria We Hail Thee,” on May 29.
Issa-Onilu added that the reintroduction of the old anthem aims to evoke a sense of nostalgia and remind Nigerians of the unity and strength the country had at independence.
“The national anthem reflects the aspirations and value of the founding fathers when you read it word by word, salutation to us, internalise it to our fatherland.
“No matter how bad the situation may be, Nigeria houses all of us, though tribes and tongues may differ.
“We don’t have to deny or pretend about this, that our tongue, tribes, religion, culture, tradition differ but in the midst of all these, it reminds us that in brotherhood we stand,” he said.
The director-general added that the National Identity Project embarked upon by the agency was to redirect all Nigerians, irrespective of class, ethnicity and religion, to the ideals and values for which they were traditionally known.
Source: Daily post
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