BREAKING! Nigerians to Seek Permission Before Using National Anthem -FG

The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to seek permission before using the national anthem. In a statement issued by the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, it was emphasized that this step is necessary to prevent any misinterpretation.

The NOA plans to conduct press conferences across all states to launch a sensitization campaign regarding the agency’s new policies. However, specifics on the context in which permission should be sought before singing the anthem or using its lyrics were not provided.

“As custodians of Nigeria’s national symbols, the NOA is tasked with preventing all forms of misuse. The DG emphasized that permission must be sought from the Agency before using the National Anthem to avoid misrepresentation,” the statement noted.

In addition to addressing the national anthem, Issa-Onilu clarified that the Nigerian flag consists solely of green and white colors, specifying the correct shade of green as Emerald 2.0.

He discussed the transformation of the agency from a previously neglected state, highlighting significant achievements such as the establishment of audio-visual studios, the launch of an optimized NOA website featuring the CLHEEAN-NOA Artificial Intelligence voice and chat assistant, and the recent approval of institutionalization policies by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), all supported by President Bola Tinubu.

Issa-Onilu pointed out that previous administrations had focused primarily on infrastructure development while overlooking the essential role of value orientation, which contributed to the decline of social intervention structures such as the Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ Brigade, WAI Brigade, and the NOA itself. He stated that the current administration recognizes this oversight and has taken steps to address it, with President Tinubu extending his support to the agency.

The support from the government is reflected in the recent approvals from the Federal Executive Council, all centered around value orientation and the National Identity Project.

Speaking about the newly introduced Citizen Value Brigade (CVB), Issa-Onilu advised Nigerians to ensure that their children do not seek heroes elsewhere, especially during their formative years. The NOA has received approval to establish this social institution, which aims to instill Nigerian values in children, starting with 1,000 children per state and the Federal Capital Territory.

The initiative is designed to cultivate homegrown heroes for future generations to emulate. Issa-Onilu also stressed the importance of producing local cartoon content to counter the influx of foreign values being conveyed to young Nigerians.

The Director General reiterated that both leaders and citizens share equal responsibility for national progress. He explained that the Nigerian Promise—a key aspect of the National Values Charter—contains principles of equality and meritocracy, which the nation guarantees to its citizens, regardless of their position in leadership or the general populace. He warned that Nigeria cannot progress without active participation and adherence to these values.

On the first anniversary of his administration, President Tinubu signed into law a bill reverting to Nigeria’s old national anthem, which had been dropped by a military government in 1978. The re-adopted anthem, which begins with “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” was originally written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda.