Federal Government Urges Nigerians to Seek Permission for National Anthem Use

The Nigerian government has issued a statement urging citizens to seek permission before using the national anthem. According to a statement by the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, permission is necessary to avoid misinterpretation.

Issa-Onilu made this announcement on Wednesday, revealing that press conferences will be held across all states to initiate a sensitization campaign on the agency’s new policies. He emphasized that the NOA is tasked with preventing all forms of misuse, and permission must be sought from the Agency before using the National Anthem to avoid misrepresentation.

In addition to the announcement, Issa-Onilu clarified that the Nigerian flag is simply green, white, and green, with the correct shade of green being Emerald 2.0. He highlighted the transformation of the NOA since he took over, citing key achievements such as the establishment of audio-visual studios, the launch of an optimized website, and the recent approval of institutionalization policies.

Issa-Onilu acknowledged that previous administrations neglected the critical role of value orientation, leading to the decline of social intervention structures like the Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ Brigade, and the National Orientation Agency itself. However, he stressed that the current administration has recognized this oversight and extended support to the agency, with President Bola Tinubu backing the initiatives.

One of the key initiatives announced is the Citizen Value Brigade (CVB), aimed at instilling Nigerian values in children, starting with 1,000 children per state and the Federal Capital Territory. Issa-Onilu also emphasized the importance of creating 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, and Nigeria cannot move without active participation and adherence to its values. He explained that within the Nigerian Promise, principles of Equality and Meritocracy are guaranteed to its citizens, whether in positions of leadership or the general populace.

President Tinubu has signed into law a bill to revert to Nigeria’s old national anthem, which was dropped by a military government in 1978. The re-adopted anthem, titled "Nigeria, We Hail Thee," was written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 and composed by Frances Berda.