The Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu has called on Nigerians to take the rebranded message of the NOA on National Values Charter encapsulated in the acronym ‘The 7 For 7’ Reciprocal Commitments between the Country and the Citizens, down to all nooks and crannies across the nation.
The NOA DG who was represented by the NOA State Director Mrs. Tracy Ikolomi, made the call at a one day Town Hall meeting held on Wednesday 30th October, 2024 at the Conference Hall Federal Secretariat Complex Asaba tagged; ‘The National Identity Project: National Values Charter and National Anthem’.
According to the NOA DG, the core mandate of the National Orientation Agency is to inform and enlighten the citizens on government policies and strategies for implementation as well as mobilise the people to support the government through feedback mechanism for the overall good of the nation.
Mallam Onilu noted that for some time, the country has been passing through some social vices such as cultism, get rich quick syndrome, unemployment and total disregard to our National Values hence the initiatve for this Town Hall meeting to interact with the public and send feedback to the government for action.
Speaking further, the NOA Director General noted that the 7 For 7 acronym entails Reciprocal Commitments between the Country and the Citizens as National Values Charter with the 7 tagged ‘The Nigerian Promise ‘, advocating for all Nigerians; Equality, Democracy, Entrepreneurship, Peace & Security, Inclusivity, Freedom &Justice as well as Meritocracy.
In the same vein, ‘The Citizen’s Code’ as emboldened in the ‘Let us build Nigerians to build Nigeria ‘ flyers distributed to participants at the event, emphasised such National Values as Discipline, Duty of Care, Tolerance, Leadership, Accountability, Environmental Awareness and Resilience to be imbibed and upheld by all Nigerians.
The Town Hall meeting witnessed good will messages from the Commissioner of Police Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, other Service Chiefs in the State as well as the State Head of Service Mr. Reginald Bayoko including the Director General, Delta State Orientation Bureau and Communication Barr. Oghenesivbe Fred Latimore.
The dignitaries in their good will messages commended National Orientation Agency for the unique initiative as they called on parents to see the imperative need to always monitor and guide the conducts of the children at all times discourage them from embracing misleading social vices in their quest to get rich quick.
Also, in her paper presentation on the Ideals of the New National Anthem by Mrs. Blessing Oyem , Deputy Director Programmes, Delta State Directorate, emphasised the focal highlights of the three Stanzas of the National Anthem noting with a call on participants to pass the message to their various localities with renewed hope for a better Nigeria.
Also, the Chairman of the occasion, the State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and Chairman Committee of Heads of Federal Government Establishments (COHEADS) Delta State, Mr. John Ifonedo Onovroke, in his address, called for individual and collective attitudinal change by Nigerians. He also, appealed to parents to decisively impact moral values on their children and wards by discouraging them from embracing social vices that are ultimately inimical to our individual and societal values as a nation.
The programme also drama presentation by the NYSC drama troupe with the message of how best Nigerians can help to redirect our National Values in the our renewed efforts to rebrand the nation.
The participants during the interactive session advocated the need for the NOA’s initiative to be included in the educational curriculum especially at the primary and post primary levels as well as extensive media engagement for both the leaders and followers using various media platforms.
There were group photographs among the participants.
Celestine Afokobah
FIC Asaba
