By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris has called for the return to nationhood, old values, patriotism and respect for national symbols to boost the imagine of the country at home and abroad.
The minister made the call when he visited the National Orientation Agency (NAN) on a familiarization tour on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, NOA is important and strategic to Nigeria’s rebirth, adding that it is a powerful agency that is a custodian of the national symbols that reflect our collective existence.
He appreciated the Director-General of NOA for keeping the symbols safe for them be passed to the younger generations, adding that the focus of his ministry is on national orientation and reorientation.
Idris said, “Without the return of those core values that we are known for, Nigeria is not likely to go anywhere.
“Part of the reason we see our nation stunting in so many aspects is because of the gradual erosion of the values that our founding fathers have left for us.
“And unless and until we go back to those values it will be very difficult for us to move forward as a nation. Take a simple thing like our national flag, some people have no regards for that symbol.
“Now, the only time you see people holding and waving our national flag is when Nigeria and another country is playing a football match, just to support the team.
“We should return to those old values.”
The minister said it was important for Nigerians to go back to the old ways, urging, “remember those symbols that help us keep our country together and to remind us of the direction we should move towards.
Idris extolled the plan of the NOA to organise a national conversation focusing on value orientation and reorientation in the country, adding that it is a starting point.
He explained that every aspect of our national life is determined by our character, stressing that a lot of agencies are complaining about inadequate funds, tools and personnel.
The minister said, “But, there is need for character, and that character is what you can use to solve the challenges in the work place and country in general.
“When the right character is there, funds, tools and others will be managed adequately.
“And as NOA, you are the best to preserve our national character for our country, and am happy NOA is doing that gradually, but we need to step it further.
“You don’t need anyone to tell you that there is decline in character especially among public servants and followers too.
“We really need to return to the ideals of nationhood. We need to recover our senses and go back to those things that our founding fathers created and left for us so that Nigeria van be better,” Idris stressed.”
Speaking, the Director-General of NOA, Dr Garba Abari, said Nigerians were sufficiently aware of the critical role that the agency played in national development.
“This is why they constantly place high performance demands on the agency. We are expected to sensitize, orientate and re-orientate on virtually every aspect of human life.
“As you are already aware sir, our dear country is in dire need of change in values, the drop in values is evident in lack of respect for constituted authorities, cultism, banditry, fraud, low appreciation for national cohesion among several other vices that bedevil our country today.
“The public also expect to be sufficiently sensitised on the benefits of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bol Tinubu.
“More than any other time in our national history, our country is in dire need of sustained orientation and re-orientation. I have no doubt in my mind that your leadership will bring Renewed Hope to the NOA.
“Going forward, Nigerians will see a more valua-rised NOA adequately meeting the high expectations of the citizens and the government,” Abari said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Idris,who was conducted round, was shown the country’s national symbols and the Office of former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
NAN also reports that so far on the minister’s tour, he had visited Nigerian Television Authority, National Broadcasting Commission, Federal Radio corporation of Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria, NAN and Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria. (NAN)
