IT was a carnival like during the visit of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to the state-owned University (UNIOSUN) to sensitise the students on the importance of National Values Charter. The students, who were so enthusiastic to know what the National Values Charter is and what is needed on their part to effectively embrace the values, were adequately sensitised. NOA, as part of its core responsibilities for citizens to have adequate knowledge about the National Values Charter visited the institution to propagate and mobilise citizens, both young and old, to promote those things that make an individual, a group of people to be called a nation and being identified with certain mannerisms and behaviours The NOA management led by its State Director, Mrs Bola Morgan, did not in any way disappointed the students as she took her time to explain the National Charter Values and its benefits. The National Values Charter is a set of ideals and principles in the social contract governing the relationship between the leadership and citizens. For the leadership, it includes the promise of equality, democracy, entrepreneurship, peace, inclusivity, freedom, and meritocracy, and for citizens the ideals/obligations include, discipline, duty of care, tolerance, leadership, accountability, environmental awareness, and resilience.
The social contract is a two-way traffic — one for the leadership, which must do its statutory duties and fulfil its promises, and the other for the citizens who must live up to their civic and natural responsibilities. Addressing the students, Morgan said that that the agency was in the school to propagate the gospel of National Values Charter, which she said is the flagship programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. In her address titled “ The Advocacy visitation To Tertiary Institutions On National Anthem, National Identity Project, National Values Charter and the Renewed Hope Agenda For Nigeria”, she explained to the students why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reinstated the old National Anthem “ Nigeria we hail thee” on May 29 ,2024 which had since be signed into law by the joint session of the National Assembly. The NOA boss said that the lyrics of the National Anthem works on the citizens empathy, patriotism for ones country and also reflect the aspirations and values of our founding fathers “when you read it word by word”. On the National Identity Project, Morgan said that the search for identity for us an individual, as a people being challenged by the consciousness that we belonged to one ethnic group or another, before we were brought together under one country, our differences and diversity should be seen as strength rather than weakness.
“Therefore, as individuals, we must have values, beliefs and principles that define our identity. Hence, the National Identity Project to redirect all Nigerians irrespective of class, ethnicity and religion to the ideals and values we were traditionally known for”, she said. Morgan reiterated the need for National Values Charter which was designed by NOA Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu. She also educated the students on the Renewed Hope Agenda For Nigerians by the president. Morgan said that the removal of oil subsidy, which abolished the age- long shackles of subsidy regime, introduction of compressed natural gas(CNG), Student loan( NELFUND) , Tax reforms, among others were for the benefits of Nigerians. On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Odunayo Adebooye, commended NOA management for taken the bold steps in sensitising the students on the National Values Charter. Adebooye, however, bemoaned the unpatriotic behavior and nefarious activities of some Nigeria citizens in destroying national assets across the nation. The Vice Chancellor called on the agency to formulate a curriculum in conjunction with the Federal Ministry Of Education that would drive nationhood and patriotism from the young age to adulthood.
A student of the university, who simply identified herself as Moyosore said that the sensitisation programme was an eye opener for her. Moyosore, who noted that she had never heard about the National Values Charter before, said the campaign gave her insights on what is needed on her part to be a better citizen and what is the expected from the leaders. Another student, Kunle Agboola, commended NOA for the sensitisation programme on the National Values Charter. Agboola said that inculcating national values in the youths at the early stages of their lives will go a long way in making them a better future leaders. The highlights of the sensitisation was the decoration of two students of the university, Ojo Israel Oluwasegun and Dorcas Abiola, who recited the National Anthem from stanza 1 to stanza 3 as the Campus National Values Charter Brigade. Copies of the National Values Charter, National Anthem and Explainers were donated to the individuals present and to the school library.
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Public policy analysts, however, said that the step taken by NOA to sensitise the youths at the tertiary institutions on core values that will guide their actions and decisions, would strengthen their actions in doing the right things as the future leaders of the country. Mr Ayo Olanrwaju, a social commentator said that it is a good thing that NOA has been alive to its responsibility of reorientating Nigerians, especially the students . Olanrewaju said that the sensitisation programme by the agency in the tertiary institutions in the state will go a long way in reshaping the mindsets of the youths in the country.
- Agbaje writes in from Lagos Island, Lagos.
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