The National Orientation Agency has announced that the Federal Government will soon introduce Citizenship Studies as a core subject at all levels of education in the country.
The Director-General of NOA, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, made this known during a Town Hall Meeting with Stakeholders in Lokoja on Saturday as part of his 2-day working visit to Kogi.
He emphasized the importance of interacting with stakeholders on government policies, programmes, and activities, in line with NOA’s mandate.
Issa-Onilu stated that the introduction of citizenship studies into the country’s school education system is necessary to instill the right values and character in every Nigerian child.
“The Federal Government will soon introduce Citizenship Studies in all levels of education in Nigeria–primary, secondary and tertiary education–where our children will undertake them as compulsory subjects and courses.
“This will enable them to learn the right values and characters and how to be a good Nigerian and make the country proud anywhere they go.
“This is to inculcate the right values in children so that when they grow up and get into the society, they would live their lives in a way that the parents, the society, and the country will be proud of them.
“So, this will happen soon; and we are starting this year with 37,000 Citizenship Brigades, 1,000 per state in primary school and secondary schools.’’
Issa-Onilu also mentioned that the country would be codifying its values through the National Values Charter, a project spearheaded by the agency.
He noted that while all communities and ethnic nationalities in Nigeria held strongly to their values, the country did not have a formalized value system in place.
The Director-General emphasized that values would only be appreciated when they were upheld, regarded as sacred, promoted, and nurtured by the people.
He pointed out that currently, no one can definitively answer who a Nigerian is in terms of values and character, highlighting the need for a cohesive national value system.
“A proper Nigerian cannot be kidnapper, bandit, get to government and become a thief; stealing government resources, promoting corruption and bringing hardship to the people.
“A proper Nigerian is the one that becomes a governor and do the right things; provides infrastructures, creates employment, promotes peace and stability in the state.
“That’s who a good Nigerian is; a good Nigerian is the president that will come and promote prosperity, ensure unity and there is no nepotism.
“So, we need to work and collaborate together as stakeholders’ to ensure that we improve our values as a country,” he said.
The director-general praised the stakeholders for their unwavering support and reliability in collaborating with NOA to advance Nigeria’s progress.
Earlier, the acting State Director of NOA, Kogi Directorate, Mr. Patrick Edogbanya, highlighted that the meeting offered a valuable opportunity to engage with stakeholders in finding lasting solutions to some of the country’s challenges.
These stakeholders included religious and traditional leaders, civil society organizations, women and youth groups, media organizations, and retired state directors of NOA, among others.
The stakeholders, in their comments, urged NOA to urge the Federal Government to promptly reduce the price of petroleum to alleviate the people’s suffering.
The representative of the Council of Ulama’u, Malam Zakariya Aliyu, also called for the reintroduction of Religious Studies as a compulsory subject at all levels of education.
