Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Issa Onilu, has called for the revival of youth-oriented value systems through the establishment of a citizen brigade.
Speaking during the national sensitisation programme on the National Anthem and National Values Charter in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, Onilu lamented the near non-existent of voluntary institutions like the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, which once nurtured leaders and model citizens.
He said, “In the last three decades, we have not created any platform or structure for our children to be nurtured on values. We need to institutionalise structures like the citizen brigade, starting with 37,000 children across Nigeria this year.”
He explained that the citizen brigade, designed for primary and secondary schools, will focus on teaching values, ethics, and leadership.
“In two to three years, we hope to have millions of children enrolled in this programme, shaping them into model citizens with a shared national identity,” Onilu added.
Addressing concerns about the influence of foreign media on Nigerian children, Onilu emphasised the need to nationalize cartoon content to reflect Nigerian values. “We want to phase out foreign cartoons and produce content that promotes our own values,” he said.
The NOA also aims to make citizenship studies a compulsory subject at all educational levels, ensuring students learn about their country’s history, ethics, and values. Onilu highlighted the collaboration between NOA and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to integrate value orientation into the NYSC programme.
He also announced plans for a two-week value orientation for political office holders, saying that there is need for traditional leaders, religious leaders, and teachers to promote the ‘Seven for Seven’ initiative in their communities.
“This nationwide sensitisation campaign is happening in all 36 states and the FCT, and it will last until the end of the year,” Onilu said, urging Nigerians to participate actively in shaping the future of the country through initiatives like the citizen brigade.
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