Akure South NOA Takes Awareness Campaign to Ijigba Community on National Anthem and Value Charter
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has intensified its grassroots integration of the National Value Charter and National Anthem, aiming to instill these core values in communities across Ondo State.
On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, the campaign reached Ijigba community, with a Programme held at the palace of the Olujigba of Ijigba, Oba Rev. Luyi Rotimi. The event saw the presence of esteemed personalities and community chiefs, all gathered to promote the initiative.
In her address, Mrs. Olufunke Adekunle, Deputy Director in charge of Akure South NOA, explained that the event served as a platform to educate the community on voter education, emphasizing the dos and don’ts of voting.
She also highlighted the commencement of E-Birth Registration, aimed at promoting proper documentation within the community and underscored the importance of NOA’s “7 for 7” initiative, designed to reinforce the recuperation of national values.
Speaking on voter education, Mr. Moses Oyediran, representative of INEC in Akure South, informed the gathering that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) was ongoing, urging those yet to collect theirs to do so.
He encouraged community members to participate actively in the electoral process and discouraged the youth from engaging in violence or vote-buying, which he noted was becoming a serious concern in Nigeria.
On behalf of the National Population Commission in Akure South, Mr. Pius Iwajomo emphasized the ease and importance of E-Birth Registration. He noted that members of the commission were strategically positioned in all basic health centres across communities to ensure the effective capture of new births; as to enables the government to make adequate provisions for its citizens.
The heart of the campaign, however, was the discussion on the erosion of values in Nigeria. NOA State Director, Pastor James Adekunle, lamented the decline in discipline and morality, citing alarming levels of indiscipline and corruption across the nation.
He introduced NOA’s seven promises to citizens: Equality, Democracy, Entrepreneurship and Employment, Peace and Security, Inclusivity, Freedom and Justice, and Meritocracy. He also outlined the seven core citizen codes: Discipline, Duty of Care, Tolerance and Respect, Leadership, Transparency, Environmental Awareness, and Resilience.
Pastor Adekunle further revealed NOA’s plans to introduce cartoons depicting indigenous values for children, incorporate civic education from primary schools to tertiary institutions, and establish Citizens Brigades consisting of 37,000 members, with 1,000 representatives from each state and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
On the National Anthem, he emphasized the importance of all Nigerians learning it thoroughly. The first stanza, he explained, should be sung at all events, while the entire anthem would be reserved for special occasions like Democracy Day and the inauguration of a Governor or President. The third stanza, he added, would be adopted as the new national prayer.
In his response, Oba (Rev.) Luyi Rotimi expressed gratitude to God and commended the NOA for bringing this campaign to his community.
He acknowledged that while values had declined over the years, the concerted efforts of the NOA and other stakeholders could lead to their revival.
Reflecting on earlier times when values and morality were more esteemed, the monarch assured the NOA of the community’s support in realizing the vision of the National Value Charter.