By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The National Orientation Agency , NOA, and the Defence Headquarters is to collaborate on proper value reorientation for both citizens and the military.
The agreement was reached when the Director General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa- Onilu and the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, held a meeting at the Defense Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
Issa-Onilu explained NOA’s mandates and highlighted its programmes aimed at modernizing its structures by establishing twenty-first-century platforms accessible to all arms of government and agencies.
According to the NOA Director General, the military plays a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s history, as he emphasized the importance of the collaboration in creating institutions that instill in citizens a clear understanding of Nigerian values.
He reiterated NOA’s commitment to ensuring that the National Value Charter, NVC, is not just a rhetoric, but a catalyst for substantial societal change.
Acknowledging that youths constitute over 70% of Nigeria’s population, the Director General advocated for youth-centric policies tailored to address their needs.
The NOA boss part of programmes the Agency is embarking on to include Implementation of nationalism studies from primary to tertiary levels. Launching a 37,000 Citizens’ Brigade aimed at fostering model citizenship.
Others include incorporating local content in cartoon characters to instill Nigerian values in children aged 1-12, promoting respect for elders, one another, and the military.
Meanwhile, the DG disclosed the upcoming training sessions for both first-class and second-class kings across Nigeria as part of peace and conflict resolution process.
In response, Gen. Musa assured of the Nigeria Defense’s full support, and urged that the Armed Forces’ be involved in the planning committee, citing their historical wealth of knowledge.
Also, emphasized the significance of national pride, urging positive narratives about Nigeria in the creative industry and the incorporation of Nigerian symbolic monuments into souvenirs.
He emphasized that achieving peace requires a multifaceted approach, particularly with the military.
