By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Director General , Mallam Lanre Issa- Onilu has given all Community Orientation Officers across the 774 local Government Areas a 72 hours ultimatum to learn the new National Anthem signed into law by Monday, June 3, 2024.
NOA said the directive is part of the Agency’s efforts to ensure a seamless transition to the new National Anthem which is part of the national identity project aimed at promoting a national cohesion, unity and a sense of patriotism among citizens .
The Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers, COMOS, are the Agency’s lead Officers in the local governments whose roles are primarily to enlighten citizens at the grassroots level of government policies, programmes and activities.
The NOA further disclosed that it is working closely with the National Union of Teachers, NUT, to ensure that schools across the country are mobilised to start using the current National Anthem.
Issa- Onilu said, “We are excited to embark on this new chapter in our national history.”
“We believe that this new National Anthem will inspire a sense of pride and unity among Nigerians, and we are committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to it.”
President Bola Tinubu had on Wednesday accented to the bill that reverted Nigerians to the use of ”Nigeria we hail thee”
its former national anthem.
The NOA DG had issued a circular urging all Community Officers to take this directive seriously and to make every effort to learn the new National Anthem by the specified deadline, adding that they are the grassroots marshals for the implementation of this new policy of government”
NOA as the custodian of the nation’s symbols has the mandate to promote and preserve the integrity of all national icons including the national anthem.
