The Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Garba Abari, has urged Nigerians to unite for better development of the country.
Abari stated this at the 2022 edition of flagship Patriotism Orientation Programme (POP) tagged: ‘Fall in Love with Nigeria’, with the theme ‘My Role in making a Nigeria of my Dream”, on Monday in Abuja.
The NOA boss said that this would boost comfort, confidence, strong and united Nigeria.
According to him, the programme aimed at raising awareness on the place of ethics, integrity, patriotism and citizens commitment to the task of nation building.
He noted that nationhood connotes a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, language or economic life for the inhibition of a particular state and territory.
“These strong bonds of identity can be eroded over time, if people have no durable forms for their preservation.
“Mutual societies have been known to become mortal enemies with defluxion of time, and its attendant eroding impact on the ties that bind a people.
“Thus, a good knowledge of shared history becomes an essential for enduring peace among any people from generation to generation,” he said.
Abari said that promotion of peace and security was a task for every individual in the Nigeria context, and responsibility of every well- meaning citizens.
“We are all stakeholders in security and peace building, which enable us to take action in supporting government’s effort at sustaining peace and security in Nigeria.
“The synergy that national cohesion brings to the table is the sort that modern societies leverage for their development.
“The resultant mutual respect and love among citizens, on its part, is an invaluable contribution to the promotion of peace through our common heritage, which signpost our common destiny,” he added.
Abari frowned at the disturbing trend in the social and political conversation that sometimes call to question our tradition of friendship, love for neighbor and sense of unity.
He added that such trend suggested that Nigerians have not learnt anything from our history, and national integration initiative that have not yielded desired results.
“Government and well meaning citizens have continued to express worry at the level of division and hate, that is being expressed in the conventional and social media about us.
“The social media particular is mostly used by youths of its largely uncontrolled nature, gives amplitude to the voice of hate, misunderstanding and intolerance.
“This, however, blur our beautiful diversity for which the world admire our country.
“This state of affairs is of grave concern to patriotic Nigerian because this is not who we are, our country is known for its beautiful stories of love, unity and respect for each other,” he said.
Abari said that effort such as this POP, provided an opportunity for national introspection, which facilitates national rebirth and peace.
He commended Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), for the tremendous partnership with NOA.
He added that such partnership led to the sponsorship of the trophies for winners of the National Ethics and Integrity competition, for integrity clubs established in schools in every state of the federation.
“In the 2022 editing of the Fall-in-Love with POP, the agency has decided to conduct a national competition for our integrity clubs, established in various secondary schools across Nigeria,’’ he said.
Also speaking, the ICPC chairman congratulated NOA for the foresight in organising the talk competition among secondary schools students of integrity clubs across the country.
Owasanoye said that such commitment would help to fight against corruption among the youths.
“To all the participants of the competition, especially the winners, I say a big congratulation.
“It is my fervent prayer that you will keep the spirit of integrity you had acquired during the competition, by contributing to the fight against corruption in your own way,” the ICPC boss said.
He noted that the youths represent the backbone, engine room of a nation’s socio- economic, political growth and development, as such were capable of causing mayhem, thereby, drawing a nation many decades backwards.
Owasanoye stressed that any nation that failed to carry its youths along in the process of nation building, does so at its own peril.
The News of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the peak of the event was presentation of trophy to winners of the competition.
The first position sent to Divine Favour International Academy Jalingo, Taraba while the second and third runners up are Bauchi and Nasarawa States respectively.
NAN also reports that they were awards of National Civic Responsibility Recognition presented to upcoming musicians, Mr Amos Ineididie, a.k.a Bobby Chant, with the song ‘I Love Nigeria’ and others.
The unveiling of ‘Fall in Love’ with Nigeria Bill Board.(NAN)