Federal Government has advised Nigerians to obtain formal approval before using the national anthem to prevent potential misuse or misinterpretation.
The Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu in a statement released on Wednesday, stressed the significance of seeking permission from the agency before using the anthem or its lyrics.
“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 revealed that sensitisation campaigns would soon be held across the 36 states of the federation to provide clarity on the agency’s new policies and guidelines.
The NOA boss also addressed the issue of the Nigerian flag, stressing that its official colours remain green, white, and green, with the specific shade of green being Emerald 2.0.
The Director-General said the previous administrations placed too much emphasis on infrastructure development at the expense of value orientation.
This neglect, according to him, caused a decline in social intervention structures such as the Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ Brigade, WAI Brigade, and even the National Orientation Agency itself.
He acknowledged President Bola Tinubu for recognising this gap and supporting the revival of value-based initiatives.
On the first anniversary of his administration, the President signed into law a bill re-adopting Nigeria’s old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”
The anthem, originally written by Lillian Jean Williams and composed by Frances Berda in 1959, was removed by a military government in 1978 but has now been restored.
