To avoid any misuse or misinterpretation, the Federal Government has advised Nigerians to obtain formal consent before using the national anthem.
Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director General of the National Orientation Agency, emphasized the significance of getting permission from the agency before using the anthem or its lyrics in a statement released on Wednesday.
“As custodians of Nigeria’s national symbols, the NOA is tasked with preventing all forms of misuse. Permission must be sought from the agency to avoid misrepresentation,” the statement read in parT.
Issa-Onilu announced that sensitization campaigns would be undertaken soon across the 36 states of the federation to provide clarification on the agency’s new policies and procedures.
The NOA chief also addressed the subject of the Nigerian flag, emphasizing that its official colors remain green, white, and green, with the specific shade of green being Emerald 2.0.
The DG bemoaned that previous governments focused too much on infrastructural development while ignoring value orientation, resulting in the loss of social intervention structures like as the Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ Brigade, WAI Brigade, and even the National Orientation Agency itself.
He praised President Bola Tinubu for recognizing the gap and supporting the resurgence of value-driven projects.
The President signed into law a bill re-adopting Nigeria’s old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” on the first anniversary of his administration.
The anthem, originally written by Lillian Jean Williams and composed by Frances Berda in 1959, was discontinued by a military administration in 1978 but has since been reinstated.
