The federal government has called on Nigerians to obtain permission before using the national anthem.
According to a statement on Wednesday by the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the move was to prevent the anthem’s misinterpretation and ensure proper representation of national symbols.
“As custodians of Nigeria’s national symbols, the NOA is tasked with preventing all forms of misuse. The DG emphasised that permission must be sought from the Agency before using the National Anthem to avoid misrepresentation,” the statement partly read.
Mallam Issa-Onilu did not elaborate on specific contexts where permission would be required. However, he announced that press conferences would be held nationwide to educate the public on this and other new policies of the agency.
The DG also clarified the precise colours of the Nigerian flag, specifying that it is “green, white, and green, with the correct shade of green being Emerald 2.0.”
Issa-Onilu also highlighted several key achievements under his leadership, including the establishment of audio-visual studios, the launch of an upgraded NOA website featuring the CLHEEAN-NOA AI voice and chat assistant, and recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) approvals on institutional policies.
He credited these advancements to the support of President Bola Tinubu.
Reflecting on the past, Issa-Onilu noted that previous administrations focused heavily on infrastructure development, often at the expense of value orientation.
He cited the decline of social institutions such as the Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ Brigade, and the WAI Brigade as evidence of this oversight.
He added that the current administration, however, recognises the importance of value orientation, with President Tinubu backing the National Identity Project and the NOA’s new initiatives.
One of these initiatives, he said, is the Citizen Value Brigade (CVB), designed to instill Nigerian values in children.
“We advise Nigerians not to allow their children to search for heroes elsewhere, especially during their formative years,” Issa-Onilu remarked.
He said the CVB will start with 1,000 children per state and the Federal Capital Territory, aiming to create “homegrown heroes” for future generations.
To counter foreign influences on young Nigerians, Issa-Onilu also emphasised the need for local cartoon content that aligns with Nigerian values.
He urged both leaders and citizens to uphold the principles of equality and Meritocracy, as outlined in the National Values Charter, which he described as central to Nigeria’s progress.
LEADERSHIP recalls that President Tinubu recently signed a bill restoring the old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” originally written in 1959 by Lillian Jean Williams and composed by Frances Berda.
