By Abubakar Yunusa
The National Orientation Agency(NOA ),has reaffirmed its commitment to value reorientation, civic education and national identity building, while calling for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists ahead of the next general elections.
The Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, made the call during a courtesy visit by NAWOJ, describing the engagement as timely and strategic for national development and democratic consolidation.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the agency’s Director of Communication and Media, Bala Musa, Issa-Onilu said effective nation-building required sustained partnerships between institutions responsible for public communication and citizen engagement.
He noted that the agency, which evolved from the former MAMSER framework, maintains a wide grassroots presence with over 800 offices nationwide.
Issa-Onilu commended women journalists for their patriotism and contributions to national development through ethical journalism and voluntary service.
He stressed the need to strengthen voter and civic education, particularly among young Nigerians, noting that a significant proportion of the population is under 35.
“Emerging digital influences and foreign media content are reshaping values, sometimes negatively, making structured civic engagement for national good more critical than ever,” he said.
The NOA boss disclosed that the agency had developed the Nigerian Identity Project under the National Values Charter, anchored on a “seven-for-seven” principle outlining mutual responsibilities between government and citizens.
He added that the Federal Executive Council had approved key components of the initiative, including the reintroduction of Citizenship Studies into school curricula across all levels to promote national values.
Issa-Onilu also revealed plans to encourage increased local production of children’s content, with a target of ensuring that at least 70 per cent of cartoons consumed by Nigerian children reflect indigenous culture and values.
He called for strategic deployment of communication resources to improve public perception and strengthen national cohesion, while advocating a shift towards addressing structural and cultural barriers limiting women’s participation in leadership.
In her remarks, NAWOJ National President, Aishatu Ibrahim, said the visit aimed to strengthen collaboration in civic and voter education, ethical journalism and the fight against misinformation ahead of the elections.
She proposed a joint initiative involving nationwide training workshops, community outreach programmes targeting women and youth, development of civic education materials in local languages, and coordinated media campaigns.
Also speaking, a member of NAWOJ Board of Trustees, Zubair Jide Atta, underscored the importance of national values and civic orientation, advocating stronger integration of media and information literacy into the educational system.
The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment of both organisations to deepen collaboration in promoting civic responsibility, national values and inclusive governance as the country prepares for the polls.
