By Stephen Adeleye.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has disclosed that the Federal Government would soon introduce Citizenship studies as core subjects at all levels of education in Nigeria.
The Director General of NOA, Mall. Lanre Issa-Onilu, stated this at a Town Hall Meeting with stakeholders yesterday in Lokoja, as part of his 2-day working visit to Kogi State.
Issa-Onilu said it was imperative to interact with stakeholders on Government Policies, Programmes and Activities”, as part of the mandate given to NOA by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said the introduction of citizenship study into the country’s school education system was necessary to help inculcate the right values and characters into every Nigeria’s child.
“The federal government will soon introduce Citizenship studies in all levels of education in Nigeria: primary, secondary and tertiary education where our children will undertake them as compulsory subjects and courses.
“This will enable them to learn the right values and characters and how to be a good Nigerian, and make the country proud anywhere they go.
“This is to inculcate the right values in children so that when they grow up and get into the society, they would live their lives in a way that both the parents, the society, and the country will be proud of them.
“So this will happen soon. And we are starting this year with 37,000 Citizenship Brigades, 1,000 per state in primary school and secondary schools”, he said.
The NOA DG further disclosed that the federal government was working on a policy that would ensure that not less than 70 per cent of the content of cartoons will basically be about Nigeria values
This, he said would enable the children to know Nigeria history and know about the heroes of the country, celebrate their achievements, cultures and values.
He added: “Our children must know the heroes of the communities and be proud of where they come from, so that they will be good ambassadors of their cultures and communities”.
Issa-Onilu further said that the country would be codifying its values through the National Values Charter being midwived by the Agency.
He said that the Values Charter was not anything new as all communities and ethnic nationalities hold strongly to their values but regretted that Nigeria not put any value system in place.
The NOA DG emphasised that values would only be appreciated when they were kept and made sacrosanct, promoted and nurtured by the people.
The NOA DG regretted that as at today, no one could give a definite answer of who is a Nigerian in terms of values and characters?
“A proper Nigerian cannot be kidnapper, bandit, get to government and become a thief, stealing government resources, promoting corruption and bringing hardship to the people.
“A proper Nigerian is the one that becomes a governor and do the right things; provides infrastructures, creates employment, promotes peace and stability in the state.
“That’s who a good Nigerian is. A good Nigerian is the President that will come and promote prosperity, ensure unity and there is no nepotism.
“So, we need to work and collaborate together as stakeholders’ to ensure that we improve our values as a country,” he said.
He noted the Agency had compiled data across the country that had the detailed information of all heads and leaders of various unions and associations for proper mobilisation to support all governments policies.
The director general commended the stakeholders for always being ever-supportive and dependable in working with NOA to move Nigeria forward.
Earlier, the Ag. State Director of NOA, Kogi Directorate, Mr Patrick Edogbanya, said the meeting provided the rare opportunity to rub minds with stakeholders towards finding a lasting solution to some of the country’s surmountable challenges.
According to him, the stakeholders include: religious and traditional leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs) women and youth groups, media organizations, retired state directors of NOA, among others.
Edogbanya noted that the DG had introduced new innovative ideas that would positively change the psyche of Nigerians towards self-esteem and strong confidence in Nigeria as an independent country with high moral values.
“Kogi NOA directorate is proud of our DG’s innovations like the creation of the NOA news studio, NOA Social media App, Mobiliser, A monthly newsletter known as the Explainer, the National Value Chatter etc,” he said.
The stakeholders in their various comments, urged NOA to impress on the the Federal Government to urgently reduce Petroleum pump price, reintroduce Religious studies and make it compulsory at all levels of education, among others.
